Fire Protection Responsibility

The fire protection industry involves the facility owner, fire sprinkler installer, fire sprinkler system inspectors, fire code enforcers and the fire departments.

The fire marshal or code enforcers are looking a fire protection system as a safety issue. In the evaluation of the firefighting system pressure, quantity and the velocity of water is of concern. Is the supply of water sufficient to control or extinguish a fire? Water quality is not necessarily a priority but it is recognized by the fire protection industry that protection of the public water system must be employed without compromising the effectiveness of extinguishing a fire.

To protect the public water system, the fire industry recognizes that backflow prevention devices shall be installed on the potable water system prior to the alarm check valve and the backflow prevention device shall be tested along with the requirements established by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). The type of backflow prevention device assembly installed on a fire protection is based on the degree of hazard of the fire protection system. For example, if chemicals are used in the suppression of the fire, a reduced pressure principle backflow prevention device shall be used. If no chemical are used a double check valve can be used. If the fire department connection is within 1700 feet of an auxiliary source of water, a reduced pressure principle backflow prevention device shall be used. If the fire department connection is greater than 1700 feet of an auxiliary source of water, a double check valve would be the appropriate backflow prevention device.

All backflow prevention devices installed on fire protection system piping shall be tested at least annually by a certified tester. After testing the backflow prevention device, an inspection by the owner shall be made to ensure that the system is in service and all isolation valves are in the normal open position and properly locked or electrically supervised.