Standpipe (firefighting)

For other uses, see Standpipe (disambiguation).

External access point for fire sprinkler and dry standpipe at a building in San Francisco, United States.

In North America, a standpipe is a type of rigid water piping which is built into multi-story buildings in a vertical position, to which fire hoses can be connected, allowing manual application of water to the fire. Within buildings standpipes thus serve the same purpose as fire hydrants.

In some countries that follow British methods, such as New Zealand, hydrants in streets are below ground and fire trucks carry standpipes, and key and bars on the trucks. The bar is used to lift a cover in the road, exposing the hydrant. The standpipe is then "sunk" into the hydrant and hose is then connected to the exposed ends of the standpipe. The bar is then combined with the key and is used to turn the hydrant on and off.

Dry standpipe

For standpipes fixed into buildings, the pipe is in place permanently with an intake usually located near a road or driveway so that a fire engine can supply water to the system. The standpipe supply pipe extends into the building to fire fighting water to the interior of the structure via hose outlets, often located between each floor in stairwells in high rise buildings. Dry standpipes are not filled with water until needed in fire fighting. Fire fighters often bring hoses in with them and attach them to standpipe outlets located along the pipe throughout the structure.

See also Dry riser.

Wet standpipe

A "wet" standpipe is filled with water and is pressurized at all times. In contrast to dry standpipes, which can be used only by firefighters, wet standpipes can be used by building occupants. Wet standpipes generally already come with hoses so that building occupants may fight fires quickly.

Advantages

Laying a firehose up a stairwell takes time, and this time is saved by having fixed hose outlets already in place. There is also a tendency for heavy wet hoses to slide downward when placed on an incline (such as the incline seen in a stairwell), whereas standpipes do not move. The use of standpipes keeps stairwells clear and is safer for exiting occupants.

Standpipes go in a direct up and down direction rather than looping around the stairwell, greatly reducing the length and thus the loss of water pressure due to friction loss. Additionally, standpipes are rigid and do not kink, which can occur when a firehose is improperly laid on a stairwell.

See also

• Fire Equipment Manufacturers' Association
• Fire sprinkler
• Dry riser
• Siamese connection

References

1. Essentials of Fire Fighting, Fourth Edition, copyright 1998 by the Board of Regents, Oklahoma State University