New U.S. Coast Guard Fire Protection Requirements for Recreational Vessels
For over 200 years, the United States Coast Guard (USCG) has been upholding its mission “to ensure our Nation’s maritime safety, security and stewardship.” A primary component of this mission…
The Dangers of Arcs and Arc Flashes
Introduction The discovery of electricity and subsequent knowledge of how to use it is one of the most significant discoveries by man, only second to our ability to make and…
Fire Suppression for Cranes and Lifting Equipment
When it comes to construction, cranes and lifting equipment are the rock stars. They lift the loads that allow us to construct buildings to ever-increasing heights as well as performing…
The Elements of a Fire
When considering a fire and its components, we must first think in terms of what is required to start a fire. Then, we must assess what is required to sustain…
Portable Fire Suppression Tool for Energy Employees
Utility fires in underground vaults, manways, utility passages, and the like can be both stubborn and dangerous. Ask any firefighter and they will tell you that underground utility fires are…
Portable Fire Suppression Tool (FST) for Professional First Responders
It’s a scene that plays out multiple times every day in the U.S.: A call is received by the communication center reporting a house fire. The call puts into motion…
What You Need to Know About Energy Storage System Fire Protection
What is an energy storage system? An energy storage system (ESS) is pretty much what its name implies—a system that stores energy for later use. ESSs are available in a…
Designing a Fire Detection System
History and Overview In the United States, the first fire detection system was implemented in the mid-1600s in New York City. Designated persons would traverse the city carrying a bell…
Designing Fire Suppression Systems
History and Overview There have been numerous attempts at creating fire suppression systems over the centuries. Even Leonardo DaVinci made an attempt at one that failed.[1] In addition to problematic…
Protecting High Risk Special Hazards with Fire Suppression Systems
In everyday parlance, people speak of risks, taking risks, unnecessary risks, and avoiding risks. Certainly, a layman’s definition of risk is widely accepted. But, what about in fire suppression and…
Understanding Wind Turbine Fire Protection
Humankind is believed to have utilized wind energy since as early as 5,000 BC. Historically, Europeans—notably the Dutch—have been the most well-known for their forward-thinking use of windmills. But before…
What is an Industrial Electrical Cabinet?
Every home, commercial building, or industrial facility with electrical service has an electrical cabinet. Industrial electrical cabinets are different in multiple and significant aspects from those found in your home….
How do you suppress an industrial electrical cabinet fire?
Depending on the size of the electrical cabinet and the voltage of the electrical service, fires in electrical cabinets can be challenging. Fires in electrical cabinets are an enclosed special…
What are the types of industrial electrical cabinets?
There are several different types of industrial electrical cabinets which can vary in size and capacity depending on the functions they serve. Some examples are: Power Control Centers The hub…
What is Special Hazard Fire Protection?
Simply stated, special hazard fire protection are fire suppression systems that are used to protect property and life from fire in situations where a traditional automatic fire sprinkler system may…
HFC Phasedown Marks Top Climate Win of 116th Congress
This is a good read, written by David Doniger and Alex Hillbrand. On December 27, 2020, tucked into the omnibus end-of-year legislation that became law, was a bill to phase…
Summary of Clean Agent Systems
Clean agent systems are a type of alternative fire extinguishing system (as opposed to traditional automatic fire sprinklers) that are used to protect property that would be expensive to replace…
How Do Industrial Electrical Fires Start and What Steps to Take in the Event One Occurs
According to the National Fire Protection Association® (NFPA®), electrical fires are the fifth leading cause of fires in commercial buildings. One of the biggest problems with electrical fires is that…
What is a Fire Protection and/or Life Safety System?
A blanket term of “fire protection system” is applied, in industry, to both fire protection and life safety systems. While both types of systems are important in their own right,…
Different Types of Fire Suppression Systems
The term “fire suppression system” and the term, “fire protection system” are often used interchangeably, but should be defined differently. For the purposes of this article, “fire protection systems” will…
What is the difference between active and passive fire protection?
It has become more apparent over the years how important it is to have adequate fire protection in every building. For most people, what comes to mind when they think…
What is Condensed Aerosol Fire Suppression?
Condensed aerosol fire suppression, a relatively new technology, is a system of aerosol containers or a single container, that are interconnected to each other and to a control panel, designed…