WHAT’S BEHIND THE RACK?


Can you identify the problem here?

During a recent visit to one of those large home improvement stores, I noticed this.

Although this is probably not that uncommon, it is something that could be very difficult to find out in a smokey envrionment.

This is another reason for getting familiar with your area and the buildings that you protect.

I was visiting as a patron, so I didn’t look around at the entire store, but I am sure there are other issues that I could have found.

Accessing this stand pipe is almost impossible and these systems aren’t always that reliable and shouldn’t be your sole suppression plan.  They don’t get maintained and are rarely, if ever flushed and tested.

A tight fit!

But, that doesn’t excuse the blocking of this protection system. One way to find these standpipes is to look for their risers. These stores will typically have two of these at each end of the store.









Notice the riser running behind the rack.?

Have a plan for these large area stores. Know the building and it’s systems so that you aren’t caught off guard.

Preplan these buildings. Know what line your going to pull before you arrive and know the different access points for entry. The front door may not be your best option.

Stay diligent and be safe.

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Definitely not that uncommon. I work at one of those big box stores. I don't know if any of ours are in that particular situation but I know some are blocked. FYI I do not condone it and I have brought the situation to the attention of certain authorities in the store...They don't care.
Wouldn't that be considered a fire code violation???
yes
Not to get critical but the issue is not a "riser" it is a blocked remote FD standpipe connection. With your statement on being rarely tested and maintained it must be different than ours, especially the number of times we take the master box on and off for the sprinkler company to perform maintenance and annual testing.

The blocking of the FD standpipe connection is coomon and a violation. This is why we inspect.

Many of ours have built in rack sprinkler systems that are at each level. There is a code for when they need to be implemented.

Maybe prevention in your district is lax or maybe they haven't seen it yet with movable rack display systems.

Pre-planning: stretching lines, etc. we are not planning on using these remote fd standpipe connections... they are essentially in the wrong place. You will need to steal water from the sprinkler system, and you have to enter the occupancy with a dry hose pack to connect in what might be a threat. Could be in a bad environment to try and connect to these, then you have to think about protecting the area if you stretch far off from one of these. Make a hole (breach) and get large volumes of water onto the fire. Make a door!

Remember these buildings are throw away dwellings, and ours being fairly new it also has spring-loaded, auto vent roof hatches (many, many of them) that afford the fact that nobody is going on the roof either.
I don't agree with your assessment here. The post was not addressing the riser, it was addressing the blocked standpipe connection, which in most cases is not necessarily the best option for suppression anyway and making a point that sometimes these violations are difficult to find.

Second, the rack systems are typically only required in the paint/thinners sections and carpert areas. There are exceptions, but they are not in this building.

Your right, we don't plan on using these systems and they are disposable buildings, however, the patrons and employees are not.
Read your caption, (your own words)

Finding the violation? The pipe is painted red to find the standpipe location verse the remainder of the pipes being white. FD tours, building familiarizations and inspections are done before a fire.

Evac situation: With 30' foot ceilings and an automatic fire alarm system is the best life safety protection to evacuate the entire building is early forced notification. And thats with a ripping fire in the paint department. Everybody should be able to evacuate if they respect the AFA.

If you are searching these in any amount of smoke that is banked down that far you are asking for trouble. Forcible entry and make easy access points for fire attack.
I still don't get your point about the riser, even after reading my caption. It's like saying, "Look at the extinguisher sign on a wall with the extinguisher being covered up. It is simply an illustration.

Absolutely, the building should be evacuated. But, as we all know, things happen. The fire could have been caused by an explosion or some other unknown event that could have incapacitated someone, we just don't always know. You have to be smart and use your training and experience.

The post was a snap shot of something to keep an eye on. I understand what you are seeing, but I think you are going out of your way to be critical about a post that is a very simple example of a portion of a fire protection system that is covered up.

I always appreciate your thoughts and ideas and you have great information to offer, but this is one time I cannot completely understand why this has been blown out of proportion.
Also, the post does address the pre-planning that you mention:

This is another reason for getting familiar with your area and the buildings that you protect.
Have a plan for these large area stores. Know the building and it’s systems so that you
aren’t caught off guard.

Preplan these buildings. Know what line your going to pull before you arrive and know the different access points for entry.
Your 3rd picture states: "Notice the riser running behind the rack" Sorry, but it's not a riser.

You also said, "They don’t get maintained and are rarely, if ever flushed and tested." I disagreed from the amount of times that I have actually went to the another big box store with the same orange sales tags and plugged the box for the sprinkler maintenance contractors.

Who is blowing the story out of proportion? I get it... the end racks get moved alot, and this one needs to be addressed.
I will concede the "riser" terminology. The standpipes being not flushed is a common problem, not so much in my district, but in several places all over this country. You know as I do that if they don't get flushed and maintained, they get "gunk", no, not a technical word, that will clog nozzles. Thus, one of the advantages of smooth bore nozzles for high rise and stand pipe ops.

It was not a post about my district. It was a post to hopefully bring awareness that these systems should be checked and monitored in any building.

Thanks for your input.
same goes for here in nj

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