Remember, O LORD, your great mercy and love, for they are from of old. Remember not the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to your love remember me, for you are good, O LORD.

He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David

Dear friends, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God and receive from him anything we ask, because we obey his commands and do what pleases him.

The commandments, "Do not commit adultery," "Do not murder," "Do not steal," "Do not covet," and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: "Love your neighbor as yourself."

The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel -- which means, "God with us."

Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent.

But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God's grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many!

But the gift is not like the trespass. For if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God's grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many!

But those who drink the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life

Beyond all question, the mystery from which true godliness springs is great: He appeared in a body, was vindicated by the Spirit, was seen by angels, was preached among the nations, was believed on in the world, was taken up in glory.

To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.

From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked

As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

Better a patient man than a warrior, a man who controls his temper than one who takes a city.

When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins

The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.

They replied, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved; you and your household.

No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.

But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things human beings look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."

Men of Galilee, they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven."

A voice of one calling: "In the wilderness prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God

Then he said to them, "The Sabbath was made for people, not people for the Sabbath."

By JOHN STANCAVAGE World Business Editor
Published: 12/5/2010 2:23 AM
Last Modified: 12/5/2010 6:09 AM

Editor's note: This ongoing series looks at issues and developments in north Tulsa as Business Editor John Stancavage participates in an eight-month program conducted by Leadership Tulsa.

There are a lot of myths about north Tulsa, but perhaps the most prevalent is that the area is not safe.

Reports of shootings and robberies are what many people seem to associate with the area, but the average Tulsan is more likely to have something stolen much farther south, according to Tulsa Police Department data.

TPD Maj. Matt Kirkland offered an overview of the city's crime trends recently to class members of the North Tulsa Development Council. I'm part of the eight-month Leadership Tulsa program, which is designed to educate people like me about the area, as well as train some of its grassroot leaders.

"The busiest area for crime, as far as burglary and larceny, is 71st Street and Memorial Drive," Kirland said. "And, you are most likely to have a knife put in your face and robbed at 41st Street and 129th East Avenue."

In contrast, much of north Tulsa is safe for employees going and coming from work, professionals providing services or residents who might decide to hold a barbecue in their backyard.

Of course, if you're out in north Tulsa - or anywhere else in the city - at 3 a.m. and are rolling with a bunch of gang members, then you probably are not safe, Kirkland said.

"It really gets down to who you know and what you are doing," the officer
said.

Despite all of those facts, stereotypes about the north side continue, he said.

"The perception is that violence and robberies only happen in north Tulsa, and that these things only happen to blacks. A lot of people think that if you're white and in south Tulsa you are safe."

Kirkland said the TPD is taking a number of steps to improve its crime-fighting efforts. One is a return to the beat system, which should increase the visibility of officers in areas like north Tulsa and allow them to interact more with residents in their coverage zones.

"This is a tremendous opportunity for us to reconnect with our communities," he said.

Along with crime, north Tulsa faces other problems that actually are shared by many other areas in the state, including medical, educational and infrastructure issues.

"North Tulsa is a microcosm of these challenges," said Jan Figart, associate director of the Community Service Council, who also spoke at the recent NTDC class day.

As a whole, Oklahoma residents are less healthy than the U.S. population. Oklahomans tend to die earlier from preventable disease, Figart said. Related to that outcome, they also partake in more unhealthy habits, ranging from poor diet and tobacco use to addiction to meth and other drugs.

"Our No. 2 industry, to aerospace, is meth," Figart said. "Our No. 2 crop is pot."

In north Tulsa, where medical services are more scarce and food choices limited, residents tend to die particularly early.

Part of the solution, Figart said, is to teach the importance of healthier eating in schools.

Education itself is a worry. The number of children in the city's public schools have fallen sharply, while the tax base also has shrunk. Meanwhile, with school buildings averaging 50 years old, some tough decisions need to be made on what institutions should remain open, she said.

The trend of moving to the suburbs also has affected north Tulsa, Figart said. In fact, she said, statistics show African-Americans are moving out of the area to outlying communities and to the neighborhoods around the 61st Street and Peoria Avenue intersection.

"It's an interesting phenomenon," Figart said.

Tulsa as a whole, she said, is undergoing some significant demographic changes.

"We're diversifying, especially in the number of Hispanics and Asians who are moving here."

Figart, like several other speakers in the series, mentioned that north Tulsa still is suffering the aftereffects of some urban renewal efforts.

"There are fewer homes in north Tulsa now," she said. "They were removed to make room for businesses. But not all of those tracts were developed, so there are gaps in there. It looks like a carved pumpkin."

Going forward, north Tulsa leaders would like to see those gaps filled with new construction. Other parts of the north side are ripe for redevelopment.

One of the class projects for the NTDC group, in fact, is to devise a strategy to revitalize the North Ridge Shopping Center at 5031 N. Peoria Ave. The class members are working on a site plan and marketing prospectus.

Hopefully, it will be just one of many projects to get a close look by investors - especially as the area's misperceptions are overcome.

By JOHN STANCAVAGE World Business Editor

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Report Commentmy view, Sand Springs (1 day ago)
It's no myth north Tulsa is dangerous.

At one time north Tulsa had a lot of shopping, there was nothing anyone needed that they couldn't purchase in north Tulsa. That's not the case today, because of crime most have moved out.
Report CommentAmerican Infidel, Tulsa (1 day ago)
Blacklion, I don't know where you live, but 15th & Peoria is not a rampant crime area. It is, after all, the beginning of the famous "Cherry Street" mile which runs all the way across 15th Street to Utica. You need to conquer your fear and actually drive to 15th & Peoria and see all the restaurants, boutiques, and other commercial ventures there and on eastward on 15th to Utica.
Report CommentAmerican Infidel, Tulsa (1 day ago)
And, by the way, 15th & Peoria IS NOT IN NORTH TULSA!!!!!
Report Commentcrawfish, (1 day ago)
I would like clarity on..."and food choices limited." Was he talking about healthy food available at grocery stores or framers markets or was he talking about the junk-food one buys at restaurants, QT's and fast-food joints?

It is time to take responsibility for our actions. Using tobacco, participating in unprotected sex, using illegal drugs, being in a gang, and eating poorly are all examples of choices that WILL cut our life short.

I am not perfect, have made a few bad choices along the way, but I fully accept that those actions do and will have repercussions. I do not lay blame on anyone but myself. Seems like it is WAY past time for some to participate in the 'ol "pick yourself up by your own boot-straps."


Report Commentderekdyson, Tulsa (1 day ago)
Blacklion, you're a southie aren't you? "even blacks want safe homes for their children"..ya think? 15th and peoria is mid town and the only crimes that are happening on that corner are DUI's, do*che bags fighting outside of gray snail and drunks fighting in whataburger. I've lived and worked downtown for ten years now (all of my 20's) and I wouldn't live anywhere else in this city. It's where the culture is. I'd much rather deal with street people and occasional vandalism than deal with the people who come in from the burbs and south tulsa.
Report Commentconjuguemos, Tulsa (1 day ago)
If you count the pat-down searches at the airport, which is on the northside of Tulsa, you are more likely to be molested....that's an example of how jaded these north Tulsa myths are. I don't ever have any problems, going to the library, the zoo, the grocery store, the restaurants, the cleaners, the pharmacy, the bank, or any other business in north Tulsa AND I don't have to deal with angry drivers like in south Tulsa.
Report CommentLibertarians Unite, (1 day ago)
LOL...what a crock article...Does the TW reporters read their own paper???????
Report CommentDavidM F, Somewhere (1 day ago)
North Tulsa safe...HAHAHAHAHAHAAHAHAH...and they don't have crack....or guns...
Report CommentThunder196, Tulsa (1 day ago)
At 3am in the morning it is not safe anywhere. It is because of the element roaming Tulsa. As the article says there are a lot myths about North Tulsa.

Keep running an area down long enough with your mouth and eventually it will happen. I hear gun shots in my area also, I definitely do not live in North Tulsa.
Report CommentBlacklion, Tulsa (1 day ago)
I have to correct my initial comment. It certainly wasn't 15th and Peoria, it was Pine and Lewis. And no I don't live in the southie area. I live at Apache and Harvard. Which is actually a nice quiet area with the exception of the commanche apartments. But in any event, there is plenty of crime to go around in Tulsa, no matter where you live, it's not just at the two addresses listed in the article, (he says as another man is knived at 129th street area). And of course only the cultured people live downtown with the homeless.
Report Commentmmac, (18 hours ago)
I remember a woman telling me at work that they were building a new casino in north tulsa and she was exited about going there. I said thats a terrible place to put a casino and i wouldnt go there. She called me a racist. Six months after it opened she went there and almost got kidnapped. She was walking out and a van pulled up open its doors and two people tried to grab and push her in. She fought back and escaped running to a security. I told her what she thought of me now. Am i a racist or was i right?
Report CommentTravelin Man, tulsa (14 hours ago)
North Tulsa is SAFE if you have an AK47.
Report CommentRush 2112, Wicked Witch of D.C. (13 hours ago)
"There are a lot of myths about north Tulsa, but perhaps the most prevalent is that the area is not safe."

Tell that to the guy who was shot at the Chicken Hut earlier this year. The lovely north Tulsa patrons of CH stepped over his dying body to get their food, instead of calling 911 in an attempt to help him. And then they attacked the emergency personnel from EMSA who responded to try and help the guy.

And the only reason other areas of Tulsa are no longer safe (61st & Peoria for example) are because groups like Community Service Council pushed to re-locate section 8 welfare queens to other parts of the city in the hope of "bringing these people up" by putting them in nicer areas of town. Instead, these people have dragged the surrounding neighborhoods down!

How much longer are we going to tolerate this failed social experiment?
Report CommentRush 2112, Oh, that's why they can't see (10 hours ago)
""The busiest area for crime, as far as burglary and larceny, is 71st Street and Memorial Drive," "

Larceny - noun: the act of taking something from someone unlawfully

I believe most larceny charges are for shoplifting (aka petty larceny). Makes sense that the 71st & Memorial area has the highest rate of this type of crime, since most of the shopping malls and chain electronic stores are located in the 71st & Memorial to US 169 corridor.

The store owners know better than to put stores in North Tulsa. Just ask the guy who re-opened the old Albertson's location his thoughts on this subject.

No stores, no larceny. It's not rocket science.

I noticed that the areas you are most likely to be shot or murdered in wasn't listed in the article. Was this because you are most likely to see this type of crime in North Tulsa?
Report CommentLoophole, (10 hours ago)
I guess that most businesses are closed when the driveby shootings and murders occur. They sure didn't wait long to hit the new grocery store. Sure the burglaries and larcenies are going to happen in south Tulsa because there's more loot available. If north Tulsa is so safe for retail business, why do we see do many bars on windows and doors, security cameras, and store clerks behind bulletproof windows?
Report CommentRush 2112, Oh, that's why they can't see (10 hours ago)
Lets take a look at one other area that used to be safe, but is not anymore now that a nearby apartment was turned into Section 8 housing - 56th & South Lewis. I grew up in that neighborhood, and the apartments I'm referencing (London Square) used to be nice back in the 80's.

However today I am leery to drive by there. TPD found one or two of the people who murdered that poor man at Rib Crib earlier this year in an apartment at London Square (were they the actual Section 8 tennants, or just 'hanging' with one of the tennants there? - that I don't know). And a friend of mine who owns a business in the area has had it broken into twice in the past month.

This is why I say we need to move all the Section 8 tennants to one area of the city, instead of spreading them around and turning pockets throughout the city into high crime areas.

I've discussed my idea of building a tent city for them out by the quaries in NE Tulsa as one potential solution in the past. It is time we start looking at something like this to address the spread of crime throughout the city! Then even the residents of North Tulsa will truly be safe again, and the 'myth' of North Tulsa being a high crime area really will just be a myth.

It isn't the area per se that is the problem, it is where certain elements of society decide to congregate that results in the high crime rates. And it sure does appear to me that most of the 'criminal element' follows Section 8 residences like the plague.
Report Commentconserv-o-king, (9 hours ago)
Yeah, those people commiting those crimes at 71st and memorial and other places south and east of "Turley" and North Tulsa commit these crimes then drive back home... to North Tulsa! Why would there be much burglary in North Tulsa? To steal what from whom? To insinuate that one is safer by McLain then they are by Union is ridiculous, false, and potentially dangerous!
Report CommentRush 2112, Oh, that's why they can't see (9 hours ago)
"Our No. 2 industry, to aerospace, is meth," Figart said. "Our No. 2 crop is pot."

If that's the case, then we need to legalize meth and pot and start taxing them. No wonder sales tax revenues are down in the city when we aren't collecting any taxes from our number 2 industry and crop!

Not only will we get increased revenues, but we should also see a drop in expenditures for incarceration of drug users and dealers, as well as decreased medical costs from city (taxpayer) funded treatment of the people shot when drug deals go bad.

I don't have a problem with legalizing and taxing drugs that are currently considered 'illicit', as long as the powers that be at the city/state/federal level don't expect us (taxpayers) to pay for the drug users' rehab and medical costs resulting from their drug use.

If they want to destroy their lives and fry their brains, more power to them. Let's start collecting our share of taxes on those items, just like we do with tobacco and alcohol!
Report Commentconserv-o-king, (8 hours ago)
Rush, genius, what about the lives they will almost certainly end while in their drug-induced stupor? Contrary to popular belief, laws that prohibit drug use are not enforced to protect morons from killing themselves, they are enforced to keep these idiots from committing felonious acts on the rest of us. Geez man, get a clue!
Report CommentOmegaspin, (8 hours ago)
Checks date. Nope not April 1st. What kind of bizarro world is this guy living in? Pass whatever you're smoking, it must be really good. Now it's true you may be safe on the North side, not from the thugs but from the corrupt Tulsa police who essentially refuse to patrol that area.
Report CommentRush 2112, Oh, that's why they can't see (3 hours ago)
conserv-o-king, using your logic then alcohol and all forms of burning tobacco (cigs, cigars) should be made illegal too.

that way nobody will die from someone else's second hand smoke, or because some drunk got behind the wheel because they thought they were sober enough to drive home.

is someone under the influence of pot, or even meth, really that much more likely to kill someone than a person under the influence of alcohol? maybe someone has done a study showing that meth heads or pot heads are more likely to kill or commit other violent felonies than drunks. if you know of one and will post the details, i'll reconsider my opinion that illicit drugs should be made legal. but until then my opinion still stands.

I don't buy your argument. Matter of fact it sounds like something that would come out of a liberal's mouth...based on emotion instead of fact. and you call yourself the king of conservatives?
Report Commentconserv-o-king, (3 hours ago)
I sound like a liberal, really, because I have some semblance of sense... You are the reason that liberals and democrats think all republicans and conservatives are sitting in our trailers with a six pack of Bud, watching a bug zapper and waiting for the homosexuals and Mexicans to destroy our fine nation. And in case you haven't noticed, yes, it is liiegal to smoke in nearly ALL public places. Have you been out recently?
Maybe you have never seen someone really jacked up on meth or coke, if not, count yourself fortunate. If so, you should know how ridiculous it is to even begin an intelligible conversation on the necessity of the legalization of these dangerous drugs.
Point two, you say legalizing these banned substances would lessen the drag on our judicial system, which is true, but wouldn't becoming lax on any of our standards we have set for society do the same thing? Are you going to argue next that we SHOULD legalize drunk driving, or lower the age of accountability and set free some perverts, or legalize larceny under the "finders keepers losers weepers" rule?
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So he made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; he scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables.

First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world.

When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment:

For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.

In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams.

No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them, and I will raise them up at the last day.

Blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him

Planning for fires in theaters, stadiums, and other entertainment venues

Fighting fires in entertainment venues is a considerable challenge due to the extreme life safety hazard they present. The largest loss of life in a single-building fire in the United States before the World Trade Center attack took place on December 30, 1903, at the newly constructed Iroquois Theater in Chicago, Illinois, when 603 people, mostly children, were killed. The Iroquois fire spread from the stage into the theater, which, like other theaters of that era, was designed for live stage shows. Many of these theaters were later converted into movie theaters, although they continued to be used for occasional live performances, and were generally larger than theaters constructed later as movie theaters. The Iroquois Theater itself was considered safe for 1,724 occupants, although it contained an estimated 1,900 at the time of the fire.

Much has changed to improve life safety at entertainment venues of all kinds since the Iroquois fire. Older venues were seldom protected by automatic sprinklers; modern facilities, by contrast, are usually protected with automatic sprinkler systems. Many theaters, concert halls, and similar facilities have exit doors located at the front to facilitate evacuation.

These different spaces require different approaches to fire control strategy and tactics. Modern theaters, for instance, often include multiple smaller spaces where movies are shown. While those spaces hold fewer people, thus reducing life-safety and property-loss risks and making it easier to confine and extinguish a fire, they also create a complex layout with multiple internal exposures and potential hazards that make it more difficult to find a fire and efficiently advance hose streams into the fire area.

To address these challenges, fire departments should develop pre-incident plans showing a building’s interior layouts and exit locations, and assign firefighters to direct patrons to the closest safe exits. The pre-incident plan should also include the calculated rate of fire flow for each compartment.

While old theaters continue to host live entertainment, acts that draw large audiences have moved to even larger venues, such as sports stadiums and arenas that can hold many tens of thousands of patrons. Some outdoor sports facilities can hold more than 100,000. As a result, entertainment facilities still have the potential for large loss-of-life fires.

In 1963, for example, a propane-fed fire and explosion at the Indiana State Fairgrounds Coliseum killed 74 people. In 1985, 56 people died and 300 were injured at a fire in a 77-year-old grandstand at an outdoor soccer stadium in Bradford, England.

When a fire occurs in the patron seating area of an open, outdoor facility, a well-ventilated, rapidly spreading fire should be expected; smoke exposure, a major life hazard in interior fires, should be minimal, although, as noted above, that is not always the case. Evacuating these large facilities requires considerable time.
Inside a domed stadium holding tens of thousands of people, the problems encountered during a fire would be greatly magnified and would include a potential collapse of the dome roof. The large open areas and high ceilings of arenas, which, though smaller than stadiums, can often seat several thousand people, allow a considerable quantity of smoke to rise above patrons, creating a potential ventilation problem as well. As with the larger older theaters, a large fire in an arena could be impossible to extinguish if built-in protection is not provided or is ineffective. Should that prove to be the case, the best tactic may be to facilitate evacuation through available exits, including exit paths not normally available to patrons.

These and other potential tactics, such as keeping an up-to-date schedule for facilities hosting live events, must be determined during pre-incident planning.

No Excuses

Cost-cutting is no reason to ignore testing and maintenance of fire alarms.
Recently, a national fire alarm system service company reported that many of its long-term clients have made the dangerous decision not to test and maintain their fire alarm systems as a way to cut costs in this "down" economy. And many clients who will continue with testing have chosen not to repair fire alarm equipment that the testing finds defective.

This report is very dismaying. Codes and standards establish a minimum level of protection and a minimum level of inherent reliability for an installed system. Most professionals clearly understand that testing and maintenance are critically important to a fire alarm system’s continued operation. The recently adopted 2010 edition of NFPA 72®, National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code®, reinforces the importance of testing and maintenance in Chapter 14, stating, "To ensure operational integrity, the system shall have an inspection, testing, and maintenance program."

The depressed economy understandably affects people in many different ways, but those responsible for protecting the occupants of their buildings must understand that cutting costs by not maintaining fire alarm systems allows those systems to become less reliable. This reduces the life safety capabilities of the systems, and has the potential for putting the occupants in those buildings at greater risk.

The latest version of NFPA 72 reinforces the requirements of previous editions, which hold owners responsible for maintaining the fire alarm systems installed in their buildings. Section 14.2.2.1 clearly states that the "property or building or system owner or the owner’s designated representative shall be responsible for inspection, testing, and maintenance of the system and for alterations or additions to this system."

Owners should also understand that NFPA 72 requires the prompt correction of all system defects and malfunctions found. And if the owner uses a third-party testing and maintenance firm and that firm does not correct a defect or malfunction at the conclusion of its inspection, testing, or maintenance, the firm must inform the system owner or the owner’s designated representative of the impairment in writing within 24 hours.

Fire alarm systems typically monitor the operational status of other important fire protection systems, such as automatic sprinkler systems. If the owner chooses not to maintain the fire alarm system, then two important fire protection systems that provide life safety might become adversely affected.

Experts define "mission effectiveness" as the measure of the degree of certainty that the system will achieve its intended objective. Four factors affect mission effectiveness: design, equipment, installation, and maintenance. Based on quantitative assessments and a basic understanding of reliability principles, installation and maintenance represent the two factors that have the most impact on mission effectiveness. If, for example, the design, equipment, and installation all achieve a reliability factor of 0.98, but the owner fails to maintain the system, resulting in a maintenance reliability factor of 0.40, the entire system reliability has been reduced to a factor of 0.38. If building owners understood this relationship, they would be far less likely to make a decision to not maintain their fire alarm systems.

It is important that local enforcement officials remind owners of their code-required obligation to maintain their fire alarm systems and ensure that these systems remain operationally reliable. No matter how "bad" the economy may become, cutting costs by failing to maintain critical protective systems will have serious consequences. No amount of savings can ever make up for a potential loss of life or destruction of property because an owner has chosen to not maintain a protective system.

For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,

Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation

He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; "by his wounds you have been healed."

The days are coming, declares the Sovereign LORD, "when I will send a famine through the land; not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the LORD."

Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.

We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about the hardships we suffered in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired even of life. Indeed, in our hearts we felt the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.

Then the King will say to those on his right, Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.

But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you,

And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.

A fool finds no pleasure in understanding but delights in airing his own opinions.

I wrote as I did, so that when I came I would not be distressed by those who should have made me rejoice. I had confidence in all of you, that you would all share my joy.

Crowd Management Safety Guidelines for Retailers

Crowd-related injuries during special retail sales and promotional events have increased during recent years. In 2008, a worker died at the opening of a "Black Friday" sale.

Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970, employers are responsible for providing their workers with safe and healthy workplaces. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) encourages employers to adopt effective safety and health management systems to identify and eliminate work-related hazards, including those caused by large crowds at retail sales events.

OSHA has prepared these guidelines to help employers and store owners avoid injuries during the holiday shopping season, or other events where large crowds may gather. Crowd management planning should begin in advance of events that are likely to draw large crowds, and crowd management, pre-event setup, and emergency situation management should be part of event planning. OSHA recommends that employers planning a large shopping event adopt a plan that includes the following elements.

Planning

Where large crowds are expected, have trained security or crowd management personnel or police officers on site.
Create a detailed staffing plan that designates a location for each worker. Based on the size of the crowd expected, determine the number of workers that are needed in various locations to ensure the safety of the event (e.g., near the door entrance and throughout the store).
Ensure that workers are properly trained to manage the event.
Contact local fire and police agencies to determine if the event site meets all public safety requirements, and ensure that all permits and licenses are obtained and that local emergency services, including the local police, fire department and hospital, are aware of the event.
Designate a worker to contact local emergency responders if necessary.
Provide legible and visible signs that describe entrance locations, store opening times, and other important information such as the location of major sale items.
Prepare an emergency plan that addresses potential dangers facing workers, including overcrowding, crowd crushing, being struck by the crowd, violent acts and fire. Share emergency plan with all local public safety agencies.
Train workers in crowd management procedures and the emergency plan. Provide them with an opportunity to practice the special event plan. Include local public safety agencies if appropriate.
Pre-Event Setup:

Set up barricades or rope lines for crowd management well in advance of customers arriving at the store.
Make sure that barricades are set up so that the customers' line does not start right at the entrance to the store. This will allow for orderly crowd management entry and make it possible to divide crowds into small groups for the purpose of controlling entrance.
Ensure that barricade lines have an adequate number of breaks and turns at regular intervals to reduce the risk of customers pushing from the rear and possibly crushing others, including workers.
Designate workers to explain approach and entrance procedures to the arriving public, and direct them to lines or entrances.
Make sure that outside personnel have radios or some other way to communicate with personnel inside the store and emergency responders.
Consider using mechanisms such as numbered wristbands or tickets to provide the earlier arriving customers with first access to sale items.
Consider using Internet lottery for "hot" items.
Locate shopping carts and other potential obstacles or projectiles inside the store and away from the entrance, not in the parking lot.
If appropriate, provide public amenities including toilets, washbasins, water and shelter.
Communicate updated information to customers waiting in line. Distribute pamphlets showing the location of entrances, exits and location of special sales items within the store.
Shortly before opening, remind waiting crowds of the entrance process (i.e., limiting entry to small groups, redemption of numbered tickets, etc.).
During the Sales Event:

Make sure that all employees and crowd control personnel are aware that the doors are about to open.
Staff entrances with uniformed guards, police or other authorized personnel.
Use a public address system or bullhorns to manage the entering crowd and to communicate information or problems.
Position security or crowd managers to the sides of entering (or exiting) public, not in the center of their path.
Provide crowd and entry management measures at all entrances, including the ones not being used. If possible, use more than one entrance.
When the store reaches maximum occupancy, do not allow additional customers to enter until the occupancy level drops.
Provide a safe entrance for people with disabilities.
Emergency Situations:

Do not restrict egress, and do not block or lock exit doors.
Know in advance who to call for emergency medical response.
Keep first-aid kits and Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) available, and have personnel trained in using AEDs and CPR onsite.
Instruct employees, in the event of an emergency, to follow instructions from authorized first responders, regardless of company rules.

Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in the Spirit and in truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.

Who’s Qualified?

Why training is key for improving fire alarm system operational reliability.

The 2010 version of NFPA 72®, National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code® , states in its "Fundamentals" chapter that "Fire alarm systems and emergency communications systems installation personnel shall be qualified or shall be supervised by persons who are qualified in the installation, inspection, and testing of the systems." The code further states that qualified personnel includes those "who are factory trained and certified for fire alarm system installation and emergency communications system installation of the specific type and brand of system and who are acceptable to the authority having jurisdiction."

The writers of the code expect that employers, whether they work as manufacturers or installing companies, will make an effort to train their technicians, technical representatives, installers, or maintainers to meet the intent of what the code deems "qualified."

But what is "technician training"? What does it mean, what does the code require, and how does this training affect the operational reliability of a fire alarm system?
Since the code requires the use of qualified technicians, it stands to reason that qualified technicians will be properly trained to do their jobs. That training can take many forms. Various technical schools offer instruction with some "hands-on" installation training, and most of these schools teach the concepts of electrical wiring and equipment installation. However, many do not offer extensive specific training in fire alarm system installation.

Yes, a good fire alarm technician should first know the proper electrical installation methods as they pertain to wiring and electrical equipment. Such knowledge will give a technician the foundation to learn the specifics of fire alarm systems installation. But most fire alarm technicians do not take such a path. Typically, they receive on-the-job training, which can be excellent. However, employers must ensure that the training follows a predetermined and measurable plan. In addition, the "journeyman" who instructs the new technician must have an excellent understanding of the code and possess full knowledge of proper fire alarm system installation techniques. The journeyman must also have the skills to train another individual properly. Some states and unions have formal apprenticeship training programs that include both classroom and on-the-job training.

The training does not stop there. A technician must also receive training on the proper installation techniques of the specific fire alarm system equipment he will install and maintain. This includes programming for the newer, microprocessor-based fire alarm systems. Equipment-specific training helps ensure that a technician will understand and follow the manufacturer’s installation instructions.
Fire alarm system manufacturers offer system-specific training with various levels of detail. For instance, a sales representative can simply offer a "lunch-and-learn" hour of product awareness training. Dealers and distributors will likely receive more detailed training on a manufacturer’s products, usually conducted at the manufacturer’s training facility. This type of training requires a commitment by the dealer or distributor to pay the technician’s expenses and, of course, lose the technician’s time while he or she attends the training program.

The four elements of fire alarm system operational reliability: design, equipment, installation, and maintenance. Of these four elements, installation and maintenance have the biggest impact on a system’s reliability. Because training plays an important part in proper alarm system installation and maintenance, it greatly affects a system’s operational reliability. Ensuring that fire alarm system technicians receive proper training will significantly improve that operational reliability.

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich.

For great is your love, reaching to the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the skies.

Inspections

Inspections: what some contractors may consider a necessary part of the job, others may consider a

bane to their profession. In either case, inspections are an important aspect of building regulation. Unlike

plan reviews, which ensure compliance with the code prior to construction, inspections ensure compliance

with the code during construction.



The contractor is responsible for complying with the code, and inspections are a continuation of that, since they are probably the most common interface between the contractor and code compliance.



The Authority for Inspection

To start, it is important to understand where the authority for inspections lies. In Section 104 of the

2006 International Building Code (IBC), the duties of the building official are defined, and they include

the duty to “make all of the required inspections.” Now, the building official will not perform each

inspection personally, and the code recognizes that, so the code has added provisions that give the

building official the authority to accept reports from “approved agencies or individuals.”



Approved agencies and individuals include the inspectors employed by the building department, or those provided by a private firm hired by the building department. You can expect the latter instance to occur if either the building department is so small that they do not have the necessary funds to keep inspectors on the payroll, or the workload has exceeded the building department’s capacity to provide the required

inspections with the staff available.



Another important item to understand is the building official’s access to the project site. In IBC

Section 104.6, it states that the building official is authorized to enter the project to enforce the

requirements of the code. If permission is denied, then the building official has the right to rely on local

law enforcement to gain entry, but only after a warrant is obtained from a court having jurisdiction.



Enforcing the right of entry is seldom used since most owners and contractors are cooperative when it

comes to building inspections.



Required Inspections

Specific inspections required by the code are described in IBC Section 109. Per this section, and as

applicable to the specific project, the following inspections are mandatory:

ï‚· Footing and Foundations: Conducted when footing excavations are complete and reinforcing steel

is in place.

ï‚· Concrete Slab and Under-Floor Construction: Conducted when all reinforcing steel, conduit,

piping accessories, and other items are in place but before concrete is placed.

ï‚· Lowest Floor Elevation: Submittal of flood hazard documentation as set forth in Section 1612.5.

ï‚· Frame Inspection: Conducted when framing, including fire-blocking, bracing and sheathing, is

complete. All rough-ins for electrical, plumbing, and other concealed systems must be installed and

approved.

ï‚· Lath and Gypsum Board: Conducted after interior and exterior lathing and gypsum board is in

place, but before plastering or gypsum board joints and fasteners are taped and finished.

ï‚· Fire-Resistant Penetrations: Conducted before joints and penetrations in fire-rated assemblies are

concealed.

ï‚· Energy Efficiency: Ensures compliance with the International Energy Conservation Code as

referenced in Chapter 13 of the IBC. This includes building insulation R and U values, fenestration U

value, and HVAC and water heating efficiency to list a few items.

ï‚· Final Inspection: Conducted when all work required by the permit is completed.



As previously stated, the inspections listed are mandatory if applicable to the project (i.e., there is no

reason to have a footing and foundations inspection if the project is a tenant improvement). However,

these are not the only inspections that a building department will conduct. Section 109.3.8 specifies that

inspections of any construction work are authorized by the building official “to ascertain compliance with

the provisions of this code and other laws that are enforced by the department of building safety.”



Special Inspections

The building official, or his designee, may not be the only person inspecting the jobsite for code

compliance. The building code also requires what are termed “special inspections” in Chapter 17.



Special inspections are inspections performed by individuals who have expertise in the area of the

inspection. For the most part, they are structurally related, including welding, high-strength bolting, and

precast erection. However, some are not, such as sprayed fire-resistant materials and exterior insulation

and finish systems (EIFS). Additionally, jurisdictions may require other types of special inspections

beyond those required in the code.



Typically, when submitting a set of documents to a jurisdiction for plan review, you need to include

applicable forms or certificates that identify the owner’s special inspectors for the required special

inspections. It is not important to know what special inspections are necessary when submitting plans for

a plan review. In most cases, the reviewers will identify what special inspections are necessary, and may

even attach the required forms to your return submittal.



In response to governmental members of the International Code Council, the International

Accreditation Service has developed an IBC Special Inspection Agency Accreditation Program. The

program is based on the requirements of IBC Chapter 17 and applicable portions of ISO/IEC 17020,

General Criteria for the Operation of Various Types of Bodies Performing Inspection. The program,

established in late 2004, requires special inspection agencies to develop and operate under a quality

assurance system that is documented in a manual. The accreditation also requires the agency to go

through a field assessment to determine if it is competent to perform specific inspections or types of

inspections.



Inspection Liability

I’m sure many of you out there have had at least one bad experience regarding building inspections.

There are personal stories, newspaper articles, and television news reports about buildings “passing

inspection” that have been discovered later to have had multiple violations of the building code. Some

reports have indicated that inspectors spend only minutes on the jobsite, which is commonly referred to as

a “windshield inspection”; staying only long enough to sign the inspection card. As with most news, the

negative travels faster and gets more attention than the positive, so it is difficult to accurately establish how prevalent below-standard inspections are across the nation.



Even if only a fraction of these negative experiences are true, it is nonetheless hard to place the blame

on the building inspector or the responsible building department. Building department budgets rarely

increase (if at all) at a rate comparable to the increase in construction activity. Thus, more inspections are

required per inspector. To compensate, building departments must either have their inspectors spend less

time on each project site, conduct inspections to fit the their own schedules (something that builders and

developers would surely protest), or hire an outside inspection firm on a temporary basis if budget

permits.



Although understandable, it would not be in a jurisdiction’s interest to perform substandard

inspections, regardless of its budget and schedules. The reason: public entities, such as building

departments and inspectors, do not have immunity from acts of gross negligence.



Working as a Team

As previously mentioned, inspections are an important part of enforcing code compliance in the field.

As a contractor, if you agree and accept that fact, then you have taken the first step in developing a

positive working relationship with your building inspector. To take it to the next level is to consider the

building inspector a member of the construction team, along with subcontractors, the owner, the architect,

and engineers. To keep that team together, here are some suggestions for working with your building

(and special) inspector:

ï‚· Give the inspector plenty of advance notice when requesting an inspection. Most, if not all, building

departments and special inspection agencies have established a minimum notification period. Keep

that in mind when preparing your 2- or 3-week “look ahead” schedule.

ï‚· If you have scheduled an inspection, but will not be ready for whatever reason, please let the

inspector know (before the inspector is on site) and reschedule the inspection. Cancellation of an

inspection should follow the jurisdiction’s or inspection agency’s procedures.

ï‚· Be familiar with the code. It will prevent surprises during an inspection if you catch any problems

first. Also, inspectors may sometimes take the most restrictive interpretation of the code, and you

might be able to convince the inspector that the item is in compliance.

ï‚· Be cooperative with the inspector. Cooperation is a two-way street, but you do not want to be the

reason for its failure. Do not be confrontational in explaining yourself, but, if necessary, ask the

inspector where in the code the requirement is stated (the inspector can only enforce what is in the

code). You may be correct in your position on an item, but how you relay that to the inspector may

be the difference between a delay of only a few hours and a delay of up to several days.



As long as there are codes regulating building construction, there will be inspectors. Nevertheless,

building construction continues to increase and the demand on building department services grows along

with it. In April 2004, the International Code Council conducted a survey of building safety officials in

15 of the nation’s largest metropolitan areas. The concerns most often mentioned were the “increase[d] work load, shortage of resources and insufficient budget to perform work.” In a statement following the survey, ICC CEO James Lee Witt said, “The increased demand for services offered by building departments and insufficient budgets can affect the long-term safety of a community. If buildings aren’t built to code, or there aren’t ample resources to conduct building inspections, public safety is at risk.”



Although budgeting for building department resources is not a responsibility of the contractor in the

field, having an understanding of the issues affecting building departments is important. How the public

interacts with inspectors has a direct impact on building department resources. Working cooperatively

can only help both the building department and the contractor. Another concern mentioned by all 15 of

the surveyed building officials was their perception regarding public opinion of their work. The building

officials felt that a building department’s existence is necessary and beneficial to the community;

however, they recognize that their enforcement duties are met with resistance from consumers and

industry professionals to some degree. Through a more interactive and cooperative relationship with the

building department and its inspectors, we can help change that perception for the better.

To those who sold doves he said, "Get these out of here! Stop turning my Fathers house into a market!"

What’s Happenin’ in the Hood?

Earlier in this century the term “neighborhood”
had a very specific cultural
connotation. For the most part neighborhoods
were clearly defined; families were
founded and sustained in specific areas.

Personal lives evolved up to and including
the time when a person went off to
seek their fortune and/or find a new
neighborhood at some other place in the
world. And, if you look far enough back
you would likely discover that most
neighborhoods were driven by a combination
of economics and ethnicity. The
whole idea that people a lot like each
other liked to live close to each other was
not a tarnished thought. It was a reality.

Over the last 50 years, the concept of
neighborhoods has taken on a slightly
different connotation. Based upon land
use practices that started becoming
popular in the 1950s, neighborhoods
were not so much grown, as they were
literally planned out and created by land
use planners. The idea of individual
homes sprouting up along a thoroughfare
that was popular in the 1800s was
replaced by the idea of thousands of
homes being built in specific areas,
accompanied by a differentiation
between residential and commercial
property that more or less sanitized the
areas. Neighborhoods began to take on a
different distinction.

Developers, however, not wanting to
lose the concept of neighborhoods,
often gave fancy names to areas that
were created out of a marketing effort
rather than have a cultural consequence.

Fancy names like “The Oaks – Quail
Run – Turkey Trot,” etc. began to define
neighborhoods differently. Many
neighborhoods became areas in which
there were total strangers bound by an
artificial boundary all moved in because
they could afford to.

As this phenomenon evolved, the fire
service was evolving simultaneously. The
neighborhood firehouse in the old
neighborhood was a place for gathering.

In many places, the local firehouse was a
center of many activities in the community
that reflected the value system of that
neighborhood. Over time that image was
subsequently replaced by a first-in district
for a firehouse that may or may not be
that connected to the people. Often fire
stations served multiple neighborhoods
and had no identity with any specific
neighborhood at all. In fact, many
neighborhoods removed their fire station
to a location somewhere on the main
thoroughfare or in the commercial areas
instead on the residential streets.

Although most fire officials have been
slow to recognize the consequence of this
phenomenon, it is actually being reflected
in the response patterns of their engine
companies. In many cases the demands
being placed on companies stretch the
original reason for a fire company being
placed in an area to begin with.

For example, while a lot of energy and
effort has been put into the study of an
appropriate placement of fire companies
so that they cover the ground in a
certain amount of time or within a
certain amount of distance, there has
been very little statistical correlation
between what occupancies and what
densities there are in neighborhoods that
drive the demand on a fire station. It is
not uncommon to see a fire station
being built today for the primary reason
of providing coverage that has very little
to do with fire and mostly to do with
emergency medical services.

This is a field that needs to be more
thoroughly explored with regard to
deployment analysis. A specific time and
a specific distance is altogether appropriate
to provide coverage, but it is of little
use unless it is actually supported by a
review of the demand in that area also.

The reason that this is true is that fire
department equipment is being deployed
to minimize the losses of life and
property and not to merely cast an
umbrella across the landscape. Therefore,
clearly understanding nature and the
types of calls that increase demand on an
individual company is very much a part
of risk management and risk mitigation.

For example, I have been involved in
conversations in which individuals have
expressed concern that putting residential
sprinklers into housing tracts
reduces the need for a fire department.

Unless those same people who are
sprinklered have engaged in some other
form of reducing the possibility of
cardiac arrest, falling off a ladder or
crashing their car into another car or a
fire hydrant on the street corner, then
that particular neighborhood is not
overprotected just because there are
sprinklers and a fire station within a
reasonable driving distance.

Part of the vocabulary of risk management
includes the idea of risk tolerance.
That is, just exactly how much will
people put up with before they want to
see it done away with? This happens to
be a factor that has a lot to do with the
attitude people have towards their own
property, towards their neighbors, and
in some cases towards community as a
whole. Therefore, there are certain
neighborhoods that generate the types
of calls that force a deployment plan.

From a standpoint of protecting
neighborhoods there are the three “Rs.”
They are: roads, roof tops, and response
patterns. Neighborhoods should be
looked at in a very specific fashion to
determine the mix of those three
components as it relates to the demand
that they will place upon the fire service.

First-in districts should be analyzed from
a standpoint of how many road miles are
contained within their area so that the
number of roof tops and the number of
responses can be looked at as a function
of how to get to the location of emergency
responses as quickly as possible.

There are trends in land use that are
going to start affecting this. In many
communities it has already occurred. For
example, the concept of dealing with
energy and water demand as well as
more appropriate use of land has
resulted in a reversal of planning
principles used for the last 50 years. For
many years, we have attempted to do
everything we can to separate the
residential occupancy from commercial
occupancies by zoning the land and
parceling them out. Today, there is a
renewed interest in the idea of mixed
occupancy and allowing residential and
commercial to be not only in the same
general area but in effect stacked one on
top of the other. This is likely to create a
different kind of neighborhood.

In a recent metropolitan newspaper, the
local fire department was being chastised
for buying bigger and bigger fire trucks
when, in fact, the land use policy
planners are trying to create smaller and
smaller streets. One cannot help but
wonder whether there is a collision
course that is going to result in public
policy being formulated that compromises
what many people think of the
standards that should be applied.

Another aspect of the concept of a
neighborhood is reflected in the governance
that often is generated by commonality.
For example, it is not uncommon
for certain neighborhoods to have
a “homeowners association” – or a “businessman’s
association” – or for that
matter just an association. The creation
of these types of concepts often creates
artificial boundaries that will be a
reflection of attitude and economics.

Most often homeowners associations are
created to restrict change in an area and,
in some cases, homeowners associations
are pitted against one another when it
comes to reacting to growth management
issues in a community.

Lastly, what I would say about the
concept of neighborhoods is that it
may be the most reliable source of
establishing expectations in a community.

As was noted earlier, neighborhoods
generally mean commonality.
Commonality often means that the
expectation of emergency service in a
specific area is based upon the community’s
perception of the level of service.
In the final analysis what the term
neighborhood means to emergency
services is that the typification of a
neighborhood is almost always reflected
in the expectations being placed on a
fire department.

One of the tools for helping with this
typification is called “Community
Tapestry: The Fabric of America’s Neighborhood.”
For more information on this
product, call 1-800-447-9778, or visit the
Web site at www.esri.com/tapestry.

This particular software program can be
used to define areas in such a way that
they can be color coded and/or categorized
for purposes of reviewing a
particular response pattern. Comparing
those response patterns with neighborhood
typification may lead into an
insight regarding changes that need to
be made in all forms of mitigation
strategy. That can include as insignificant
an aspect as what programs go on
in the schools all the way up to and
including what kind of response time is
needed to prevent unnecessary loss of
life and property.

So, the next time someone says, “How is it
going in the ‘hood?’” you will be better
prepared to answer the question.

Please VOTE TODAY!

From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands.

My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.

Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.

Winterizing Fire
Sprinkler Systems
The Best Insurance is a Good Education



In climates that are subject to freezing temperatures, winterizing
is much more than a few checks before the weather turns
cold. Winterizing is an ongoing task that occurs throughout all
seasons of the year and affects the entire building system. Every
time a system is inspected or worked on, prevention of
upcoming freezing conditions should be a consideration. It
may be warm outside now, but at some point in the near
future, cold temperatures could create a risk of a damaged
system that will then not be ready to fight a fire, save a life,
and protect a property for our client.

Damage caused by a frozen system can create a long-lasting
situation where a system is out of service. The model building
codes and NFPA standards have done a good job of keeping
the legal responsibility of building and system maintenance
with the building owner, but we, as fire and safety consultants, have
an obligation simply as a good business practice to observe
possible dangerous conditions and assist our client in the
overall maintenance of the building. This can become an
opportunity to educate our client and assist in ensuring that
the building and fire sprinkler system are winterized properly.

One of the largest causes of frozen systems is poorly maintained
or disturbed insulation combined with a lack of
building heat. It is common for insulation to get pushed out
of place during a small building project. This can occur
during the simplest of minor projects such as an electrical
upgrade, a minor ductwork modification, or even a carpentry
change inside or outside the building. Any time that the
building insulation is changed, moved, or damaged, it is
recommended that a professional insulation contractor
become involved to observe the damage and make the
necessary repairs. Maintaining the insulation envelope and
appropriate vapor barrier is one of the most important
factors in the prevention of frozen piping. It is also critical
that we avoid accepting responsibility for the building
insulation system by trying to repair it ourselves. Remember,
the responsibility of maintaining the building and its systems
belongs to the owner. If possible damaged insulation is
observed, point out the deficiency so that it can be repaired
by the appropriate source. Documentation of this deficiency
is also important so that a paper trail is maintained, showing
that you have put the building owner on notice that a critical
situation may be present.

Periodic or annual inspections of dry-pipe systems and
antifreeze systems should be scheduled well ahead of
periods of freezing temperatures. It is critical that these
types of systems be properly maintained since they are
typically installed outside the insulation envelope in areas
where heat is not present. If possible, dry-pipe systems
should be tripped during the warm part of the season to
ensure that there is plenty of time for excess water to drain
out of the system. After a full system trip, it is not uncommon
for water to trickle out of the piping for quite some
time. Where low point drum drip type drains are present
within a dry system, it is important to continue draining
them until water is no longer present. This condition may
also occur throughout year as daily temperatures change,
creating condensation in the piping. It is important to
advise the owner’s representative on the procedure and
importance of draining low point drains so that they can be
maintained properly. As freezing temperatures approach, it
is important for the owner’s representative to perform
additional checks of low point drains to ensure that the
system is ready for the upcoming period of cold weather. As
temperatures dip below freezing and then rise above
freezing during daytime hours, it may be necessary for the
building owner to continue to monitor low point drains
until the risk of freezing temperatures has passed.
In addition to dry-pipe systems, we often find antifreeze
systems in areas subject to freezing. Proper levels of antifreeze
solution are critical to ensure that the system is protected. As
with dry-pipe systems, the level of antifreeze solution should
be checked and maintained well in advance of freezing
temperatures. The National Weather Service records should
be reviewed to determine the expected low temperatures for
the area and the level of antifreeze solution should be mixed
accordingly. Since antifreeze solutions are typically heavier
than water, it is advisable to mix the solution considerably
stronger than needed as major portions of antifreeze will
likely settle to the low points of the system. The good news is
that heat rises and the low points are likely to be the most
vulnerable portions of the systems. NFPA 13, Standard for
the Installation of Sprinkler Systems, provides guidance on
mixing and minimum levels of antifreeze solutions.
Drains that discharge to outside should be checked to ensure
that the drain valve seats properly and does not continue to
drip. In cold temperatures this can result in a dangerous
situation where drains discharge onto sidewalks or parking
areas, causing a slipping hazard. Additionally, leaking drains
can result in an ice plug, which may cause piping to rupture
and become unusable. Assuming that the valve is located
within the heated space, this is not necessarily an immediate
threat to the operation of the system, but will create a maintenance
problem later and could result in water damage caused
by the ruptured piping.

One last thing to consider is heat tape. Although not typically
considered as good freeze protection for fire protection
systems, occasionally we encounter heat tape and it is
important to ensure that it is in good working order. If
present, heat tape should only be used on bulk piping, drain
piping, or similar conditions where sprinkler heads are not
attached directly to the piping. A visual inspection of heat
tape should be performed to look for any damage that may
be present. Heat tape should also be checked electrically to
ensure that it is actually working and is ready to protect the
exposed piping. If you are unsure if the heat tape is operating
properly, advise the owner that a certified electrical contractor
should look at the situation and verify that it is operating
properly. Remember, maintaining the building systems is
ultimately the owner’s responsibility and liability. If heat tape
is used for protection of isolated piping, it is highly recommended
that monitored heat tape is used so that, in the event
of a failure, the owner is provided with notification that there
is a potential issue.

The best insurance for protection against frozen sprinklers and
piping is good education. Educating a building owner on the
importance of winterizing, maintaining a proper insulation
envelope, and providing adequate heat is one of the most
important tasks we can perform with regard to winterizing. A
well-educated building owner can provide the basis for good
maintenance which in turn provides for a system that will
continue to operate for years to come.

Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.

The Stuff in the Hall
A closer look at objects residing in corridors

A question I often hear when teaching seminars on NFPA 101®, Life Safety Code®, concerns the placement of stuff in corridors. Can furniture, book shelves, trophy cases, file cabinets, and other such "stuff" be placed in corridors? The answer depends on several factors.

Section 7.1.3.2.3 of NFPA 101 does prohibit placing things in the exit enclosure, which includes enclosed exit stairs and exit passageways. The language in this section is very broad. For example, it says that "An exit enclosure shall not be used for any purpose that has the potential to interfere with its use as an exit…" (my emphasis added). So, at least as a starting point, it is clear that we cannot put "things" in an exit stairwell or exit passageway.

However, no such exclusion is found in the code for exit access. The corridor is part of the exit access and is defined in Section 3.3.76 as "that portion of the means of egress that leads to an exit." The code allows "things" in the exit access, as that is the portion of the means of egress where we live, work, and play.

Chapters 18 and 19 of the Life Safety Code, which address hospitals and nursing homes, prohibit placing "things" in the corridors of these health care occupancies.
So, in general, the code says we may put things in the corridors of buildings. But there are some restrictions. One is that the minimum clear width of the corridor be maintained. In the -2.3 section of each occupancy chapter, a minimum width for corridors is specified. For example, the minimum width of a corridor in a business occupancy serving 50 or more persons is 44 inches (112 centimeters), while the minimum corridor width in an educational occupancy is 72 inches (183 centimeters).

The above widths are minimum widths. The actual width of the corridor in a building may be wider than the minimum width to provide the required exit capacity. Obviously, "things" cannot be placed in a corridor that would reduce the width below that required for the calculated egress capacity.

There are several general requirements that would also apply to placing things in the corridor. Section 4.5.3.2 requires that egress from all parts of a building be kept free and unobstructed. Section 7.1.10.1 requires that the means of egress be continuously kept free of obstructions or impediments. Section 7.1.10.2.1 prohibits furnishings, decorations, or other objects from obstructing exits or access to the exit. Section 7.5.2.2 requires that the exit access be clearly recognizable.

Hangings and draperies are not allowed to obstruct egress in accordance with Section 7.5.2.2.1. However, none of these requirements requires that we walk in a straight line. Humans typically do not walk in straight lines, so walking around "things" is not a problem as long as there is adequate width and the path is obvious.

Except for health care occupancies, which have special provisions for corridors, "things" may be placed in corridors as long as the minimum required width is maintained, the required exit capacity is maintained, and the "things" do not present a condition that could cause an obstruction or present a greater fire hazard than is expected for that occupancy.

Q&A: Inspection, Testing and Maintenance of Fire- and Life-Safety Systems

Q. Would someone who has completed your training courses be qualified to inspect his own facility to determine if it satisfies NFPA requirements?
A. Yes. We cover the NFPA requirements and how they relate to real-life situations, and we discuss how to interpret or understand what the NFPA says.

Q. What is new and what has changed over the past 5, 10 and 20 years?
A. Going back a little bit further, I would say 30 years ago, sprinkler protection was installed primarily to protect the property with no expectations or thoughts about life safety. In the ’80s with the adoption of ADA, the industry began to focus more on life safety in more applications. Ten years ago, sprinklers became important for protection of life and property. Smoke detection and fire alarms became more of a design criteria, specifically for evacuation.

Within the past five years, I think most of the building standards have been written with the assumption that fire sprinklers are in place. With fire sprinklers, you reduce the requirements for wider corridors and the number and size of exits.

A fully sprinkled building is much different than one that is not, which is good and bad alike, in my opinion.

Q. Why is that?
A. Sprinklers do not give early warning of a fire. If the sprinkler system is in operation, it’s typically too late to get people out of the building. A fire-alarm system is needed to work in tandem with a sprinkler system to give earlier notification. Then you will have quicker evacuation times to protect people, and you will have the sprinkler systems to protect the property. That seems to be the direction the industry is going and the way the standards are being written.

With the new NFPA Standard, 2007 edition, the direction has been modified again, but not many places have adopted it yet. The new standard is going in the direction of mass notification systems versus fire-alarm systems.

Mass notification is a voice system to annunciate that there is an emergency in the building. The system can override the fire alarm system to give evacuation instructions. You also have the ability to hit a tornado button or hurricane button that would give a voice instruction. I think this trend has been driven by the military because it had adopted and started moving in that direction on bases.

Q. How much influence does the military have to bring about that code change?
A. The NFPA has carried forward the military’s emphasis of mass notification to the private sector in the new NFPA 72, which was originally written to define a fire alarm system. Moving forward, when the new mass notification systems standard is adopted by a state or governmental agency, a resultant requirement in the private sector may be created, as compared to a standard fire alarm system.

What that means is that the industry is going to rely more heavily on speaker systems and voice evacuation systems.

Q. What effect will this have on a fire- and life-safety system?
A. I think future fire-alarm systems will require many more devices to achieve good voice clarity. The main issue with voice instruction is clarity and volume because you do not get the same decibel levels as you do from a horn or siren or any variation thereof. To get good clarity and to get good audible levels, you need to space the speakers closer together. Once you’ve done that, you have good clarity, but you still don’t have the same volume levels as you do with other audible devices.

Now, that’s not to say that I’m against voice evacuation systems — not at all. The reality is — and this is documented by studies — people respond better to voice evacuation systems. When people are told what to do during an emergency, they tend to follow the instructions. If it’s a voice evacuation system, people believe the threat is real.

Q. Do you think UL 864 opened up more possibilities for building owners in terms of adding to their current fire alarm systems?
A. I don’t think the UL or ANSI standards drive much in the field. Let’s face it. Design of fire alarm systems is driven primarily by enforcement of the local code. Generally speaking, a new fire alarm system is going to be coming from an engineer with a set of drawings, plans and specifications.

Retrofit projects generally use an engineer. Our goal is to bring the property up to a reasonable standard by upgrading the system to the necessary levels. Once again, this is code and authority driven. Some authorities having jurisdiction interpret the standard to mean that if you make any modifications whatsoever to the current system, you have to bring it up to the current standards. Other authorities interpret it as anything you add to the system must meet the current standard. Others just say anything is better than nothing. It’s all over the board, really.

Q. Do you recommend going to the Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) first to find out their point of view?
A. Absolutely. As a matter of fact, we typically try to talk to the AHJ up front. After we do some preliminary design, we’ll have them review the plans and then move forward with final drawings and the project.

Q. What other challenges do retrofit projects present?
A. If I were talking to a business owner, I would suggest that he demand a product that is distributed by multiple vendors. If he chooses a proprietary product, he will have fewer places to get service for that product.

One of the challenges that we face on a regular basis is trying to assist a potential customer who is unhappy with his current provider. However, we are unable to help because of proprietary software or the inability to get the product because of the limited sales organization that represents the product. A building owner should make sure that he has at least a couple of vendor choices locally, so that if he becomes unhappy or dissatisfied with his current vendor, he will have another option.

Q. How does the fire- and life-safety industry contribute to the green design movement?
A. It’s not specifically related to green design, but I will tell you that the number of notification appliances with low current draw on a circuit influences cost. Mass notification and voice evacuation systems are possibly impacted the most because of the need for amplification. Amplifiers are probably the most expensive piece of the puzzle. With a lower current draw, the number of notification appliances on a single loop can be increased. Anything having a lower current draw is advantageous.

Q. What should a building operator know about the importance of a life-safety system?
A. One of the reasons I think I have been successful in training is because I am so passionate about life safety. One of the things that I think the industry needs to get across to building owners is that they need to be more focused and concerned about life safety.

Most building owners are looking at fire alarms as a code driven requirement, not from a life-safety perspective for their personnel, and they need to change that concept. That’s not about sales for this company or anything thereabouts. It’s about things that I run into on a regular basis, like, “Do I have to do this?”How valuable are your employees, or associates, or the people that work for you? How much are their lives worth?

I don’t think the industry has done a good job of communicating that to the marketplace. This isn’t about somebody standing over you saying, “You have to do this.” It’s more about protecting your people and your property.

Storage Facilities
High-Bay and Automated Storage

Warehouse-type facilities with rack storage
present a complex fire protection problem.
As indicated in the fire test data included
in NFPA 13, Standard for Installation of
Sprinkler Systems, and NFPA 30, Flammable
and Combustible Liquids Code,
large-scale fire tests have demonstrated
that many of these fires can become very
large and difficult to control within two
minutes or less.

Determining the correct
automatic sprinkler system solution can be
a challenge. The increasing popularity of
large storage warehouses that have rack
storage heights from 40 ft to over 100 ft is
increasing the level of complexity for the
automatic sprinkler system design.

Currently, very little full-scale fire testing
with automatic sprinklers has been done
with rack storage in excess of 40 ft, which
limits the automatic sprinkler choices and
protection schemes that are available for
these applications.

The complexity of protecting storage
occupancies with sprinkler systems seems
to originate with the large number of
sprinklers and categories available. For
those designing this type of sprinkler
system, it is important to understand that
the science and math involved is universal
and obvious to those trained in the field.

Sprinkler hydraulics, sprinkler spacing,
response times, fire control and fire
suppression are subfields of sprinkler
technology that use the same mathematics
and science that have been applied for over
100 years. There are six significant
characteristics in the manufacture of
automatic sprinklers that can be changed
in the manufacturing process to achieve
different performance. These are:
1. Thermal sensitivity
2. Temperature rating
3. Orifice size
4. Installation orientation
5. Water distribution characteristics
6. Special service conditions

The science of thermal sensitivity is well
documented. Transfer of heat governs all
aspects of fire, from ignition through
final extinguishment. Heat is transferred
by one or more of three mechanisms:
conduction, convection, or radiation.

Convective heat transfer (heated air
from a fire rising to the ceiling) is the
primary means by which a sprinkler is
activated. The heated air rises in a
plume to the ceiling. When the plume
hits the ceiling, it produces a ceiling gas
jet. The heat responsive elements of the
sprinklers within the jet are then heated
by conduction of the heat from the air.

When the heat responsive element
reaches its operating temperature, the
sprinkler will activate.
It is necessary to measure this process in
order to determine the thermal sensitivity
of the sprinkler. Thermal sensitivity is the
measure of how fast a heat responsive
element operates when installed in a
sprinkler. Factory Mutual developed a
method to measure thermal sensitivity that
is used today which utilizes the concept of
a response time index (RTI). The device
used to conduct this measurement is
commonly referred to as a “plunge oven”;
the test is referred to as an “oven heat test”
in Underwriters Laboratories Standard UL
199.

Within the plunge oven an air stream is
moving through a metal duct at a constant
velocity and temperature. The sprinkler,
which is at room temperature, is plunged
into the heated air stream. A measurement
is made of the time, in seconds, required
to raise the temperature of the heat
responsive element, approximately 63
percent of the temperature of the heated
air stream. This measurement is called a
“tau factor.”

Multiplying this factor by
the square root of the velocity provides the
number which is the RTI of the sprinkler.
RTI = TU1/2
T = tau factor
U = air velocity

NFPA 13 section 3.6.1(a)(1) defines the
response time for fast response sprinklers
as having a thermal element with an RTI
of 50 (meter-seconds)1/2 or less, while
section 3.6.1(a)(2) defines standard
response as having a thermal element with
an RTI of 80 (meter-seconds)1/2 or more.

The standard does not have a separate
defined RTI for quick response sprinklers.
Section 3.6.2.9 defines quick response as a
type of spray sprinkler that meets the
criteria of 3.6.1(a)(1), making it a type of
fast response sprinkler.

The sprinkler’s temperature rating can
have a dramatic effect on the sprinkler’s
performance in a storage occupancy fire. A
good example of this is illustrated in the
density/area curves for rack storage of class
I through IV commodities less than 25 ft,
and rack storage of class I through IV
commodities above 25 ft. Full-scale fire
testing in rack storage up to and including
25 ft indicated a more effective performance
for high temperature-rated
sprinklers when compared to ordinary
temperature-rated sprinklers. Ordinary
temperature-rated sprinklers typically
operated outside the actual fire area, which
will essentially rob water from the
sprinklers in the fire area.

High temperature-rated sprinklers did not operate in the
same manner, which resulted in greater
discharge in the fire area. As a result, the
density/area curves for rack storage of class
I through IV commodities up to and
including 25 ft allow a reduction in
density when using high temperature-rated
sprinklers.

Taking a look at rack storage of class I
through IV commodities over 25 ft, we see
the exact opposite, as NFPA 13 recommends
the use of ordinary temperature-rated
sprinklers over high temperature-rated
sprinklers. Again, this is the result of
full-scale fire testing. In these tests, in-rack
sprinklers (which are now required) show
their effect on the ceiling sprinklers.

Essentially the sprinklers operating at the
lower levels reduce the heat release rate of
the fire dramatically. Therefore, the
sprinkler operating area did not increase
with ordinary rated sprinklers as it did
with less than 25-ft storage without
in-rack sprinklers.

Sprinkler orifice size and K-factor determine
the amount of water that can be
discharged from a sprinkler at a given
pressure. The fundamental formula for
water discharge from an orifice can be
traced back to Torricelli’s Flow Theorem,
Q=av, discovered in 1644.8 This theorem
has been used by hydraulics engineers,
physicists, and all who have ever hydraulically
calculated a sprinkler system as
documented in Harold Wass’ 1999
second-edition book Sprinkler Hydraulics
and What It’s All About. Pages 45 and 46
describe how this formula is mathematically
converted to the standard formula
used in the sprinkler systems (shown
below):
Q=29.84cd2√p
This can be simplified further to:
Q= k√p

All sprinkler K-factors, whether or not
they are currently used in the sprinkler
industry and/or storage occupancies,
are developed from the same mathematical
formula.

Installation orientation and water
distribution are also critical to a sprinkler’s
performance. Installation orientation
can have an impact on water
distribution and the ability of the
sprinkler to control or suppress the fire,
when in close proximity to building
structural members. The concepts of
suppression and control are well-known
and are linked to the actual delivered
density of water (ADD) versus the
required delivered density (RDD). The
required delivered density will increase
as the heat release rate of the expected
fire increases. In other words, a more
intense fire will require more water for
control or suppression.

Current CMDA and In-Rack
Sprinkler Design for Rack Storage
of Class I through IV Commodities
Above 25 Ft

The requirements for
rack storage protection are contained in
chapter 16 for Class I-IV commodities
and chapter 17 for plastics and rubber
commodities. These chapters are separated
into sections for rack storage below
25 ft and storage above 25 ft. When
required to use control mode density/area
sprinklers, understanding the requirements
of NFPA 13 can be simpler when
rack storage is over 25 ft than when it is
less than 25 ft. For rack storage over 25
ft, the size of the design area and the
required density are established and very
few adjustments are made; whereas, they
are not for rack storage less than 25 ft.

However, additional difficulty comes in
with the requirements for in-rack
sprinklers.

When control mode density/area sprinklers
have been selected for installations
involving rack storage over 25 ft, in-rack
sprinklers are required. While the hydraulic
calculations are not overly difficult, the
figures describing the in-rack locations
within NFPA 13 will require the designer
to dedicate some time to review the charts
for a complete understanding of proper
in-rack sprinkler locations.

Chapters 16 and 17 also allow for the use
of control mode specific application
(CMSA) and early suppression fast
response (ESFR) sprinklers in specific
situations. Using these types of sprinklers
can provide several benefits, including
elimination of in-rack sprinklers and, in
some cases, a less costly design. The
primary limitation to CMSA and ESFR
sprinklers is the limit in storage and ceiling
height. If the rack storage and building
ceiling height exceed 40-ft storage and
45-ft high ceilings as defined in Chapters
16 and 17 of NFPA 13, they cannot be
considered for use. The designer is then
limited to the selection of CMDA
sprinklers with in-rack sprinklers. The
rules for installation will be found in
several different locations of the document,
including Chapters 8, 12, 16, 17
and 22.

NFPA 13 Chapter 12 allows the following
CMDA sprinklers to be used in
storage applications. Standard response K
5.6 sprinklers are allowed where the
required density is .20 gpm/ft2 or less.
Standard response K 8.0 sprinklers are
allowed where the required density is .34
gpm/ft2 or less. Where the required
density exceeds .34 gpm/ft2, standard
response K 11.2 sprinklers that are listed
for storage must be used. Quick response
sprinklers can be used if they have been
listed for storage applications.

The lowest density for this application
described in Table 16.3.1.1 is .25 gpm/ft2
limiting the sprinkler selection to standard
response K 8.0 sprinklers, no special listing
required, or K 11.2 and larger that have
received a listing for storage. The majority
of the required densities are in the range
where K 11.2 or larger would be the most
hydraulically efficient. Chapter 8, Table
8.6.2.2.1 limits the spacing of standard
pendent and upright sprinklers to 100 ft2
where the required density is greater than
or equal to .25 gpm/ft2. Given that most
of the required densities for this type of
storage application are .3 gpm/ft2 or
greater, the K 11.2 becomes a likely
selection for the ceiling sprinklers.

100 x .3 = 30 gpm
(30 gpm / 11.2)2 = 7.17 psi end-head
pressure

Section 8.13 provides the basic installation
rules, including the maximum protection
area for any single system of sprinklers in
racks which is 40,000 ft2 The in-rack
sprinklers can be either standard or quick
response and the allowed K-factors are 5.6,
8.0 and 11.2.

This section of Chapter 8 also clarifies that
the installation rules for in-rack sprinklers
do not follow the installation rules of ceiling
sprinklers. For example, in-rack sprinklers
are allowed to be placed less than 6 ft on
center and do not have to meet the
clearance and obstruction criteria of section
8.5. Chapters 12 through 20 will define the
positioning of these sprinklers.

Another commonly overlooked section is
8.16.1.6, which requires separate control
valves and drains for the sprinklers
installed in racks. The only exception to
this requirement is for systems with 20 or
fewer in-rack sprinklers. The intent of this
requirement is to allow for the isolation of
the in-rack sprinklers from the ceiling
sprinklers. Because in-rack sprinklers are
susceptible to damage due to their
location, it is essential to allow for the
ceiling system to remain in service while
repairs are being made.

When CMDA sprinklers are used with
in-rack sprinklers the ceiling sprinklers are
intended to protect the upper level of
storage, whereas the in-racks are intended
to control the growth and spread of fire
within the rack structure at the lower
levels.10 Chapter 22, section 22.8 requires
the pipe supplying the in-racks to be
hydraulically calculated and the water
demand for the in-racks to be added to the
ceiling sprinkler water demand over the
same protected area at the point of
connection. The demand shall be balanced
to the higher pressure.

Balancing can be done with the formula
listed below:
Qadj = (Ql) (√Ph/Pl)
Where:
Qadj = the adjusted flow into the lower
pressure line.
Ql = the calculated flow in the lower
pressure line.
Ph = the higher of the two pressures
Pl = the lower of the two pressures
Example: At the point of connection the
sprinkler system demands 984 gpm at
62.4 psi. The in-rack sprinklers have been
calculated to require 322 gpm at 57 psi.

To balance the pressure and determine the
adjusted required flow:
Qadj= (322) (√62.4/57)
Qadj = 336 gpm
336 gpm will be added to 984 at the point
of connect for a total water demand of
1,320 gpm.




High-Bay and Automated Storage

Concepts for the Future Special service conditions for sprinklers used in racks will define new technology in the future. Unique applications such as automated storage will likely require special sprinklers. Automated storage systems utilize computer-controlled equipment to move and stack com¬modity, typically on racks with narrow aisle widths, or on racks that move horizontally, which are referred to as movable racks. These buildings can be designed for storage heights over 100 feet. The racks are typically connected to the walls and roof to provide support for the structure. NFPA 13 will require a substantial amount of in-rack sprinklers to be installed in applications such as this. Manufactur¬ers will surely seek alternative methods of protection in the future.

In order to develop new products that can benefit the end-user and provide the necessary fire protection for this challenging environment, manufac¬turers will look to expand upon the known math and science that is well-established within the sprinkler industry. Rack storage schemes using horizontal barriers have a history of success and have been well-docu¬mented within NFPA 13. This type of concept separates the rack storage into more manageable areas where fire control or suppression is more easily achieved. Viking worked with a European furniture manufacturer in 2005 to conduct testing of rack storage using vertical barriers as an alternative to existing fire protection schemes defined within NFPA 13. While the tests were successful, Viking sought improvement using the barrier concept. Seeking improved results leads to the concept of using horizontal barriers within the racks with improved in-rack sprinklers. The horizontal barriers would be placed at different elevations above the picking level of the forklift operators. This configuration will eliminate the flue space to the ceiling, helping toprevent the fire from spreading vertically, which will assist in con¬taining the fire growth. It also reduces the volume of commodity being protected and exposed to activated sprinklers.
The European furniture manufacturer test used K11.2 extended coverage sprinklers as the in-rack sprinklers. The flatter spray pattern helped to negate the obstructions presented by the rack structure and helped to reduce the overall amount of in-rack sprinklers required. The tests were conducted with the sprinkler flows at 60 GPM and 80 GPM. The sprinklers were positioned with the deflectors 1¼ inches below a simulated rack beam, and the framed arms were positioned both parallel and perpendicular to the simulated rack frame.
The test resulted in water spread within simulated rack structure. The discharge spray was able to discharge in rack structure and apply water to face of rack. Some dry spots were visible at 60 GPM discharge. Relative¬ly no dry spots at 80 GPM discharge. The results were relatively equal with the frame arms parallel or perpendicu¬lar to the simulated rack frame.
The results of this testing will likely result in an extended coverage in-rack sprinkler designed to provide down¬ward thrust in the flue space and spread water to the face. The use of extended coverage sprinkler technol¬ogy will continue to expand in use within the storage market. This type of technology used in storage can expand upon the same concepts and rules established in the 1980s for ceiling protection, such as the square coverage areas for pendent and upright sprin¬klers. As described in the NFPA 13 handbook, using the square coverage area will promote inter¬changeability and allow positioning on the branch lines without regard to the sprinkler frame arms. Those familiar with sprinkler design will see the natural benefit to such a concept.

Developing a concept for the sprin¬kler system installations in warehous¬es will likely require different ap¬proaches and the use of new or existing technology to achieve improved performance. It is highly likely that these new protection schemes will use horizontal or vertical barriers for compartmentation. Ideas that are being evaluated include the use of interstitial space sprinkler tech¬nology for in-rack sprinklers. These sprinklers are designed to be installed in small combustible concealed spaces where there is limited space for water distribution to develop. The flat deflector technology combined with larger K factors and fast response thermal elements may address the installation issues encountered with in-rack sprinkler.
Another concept is to combine fast response thermal elements, K factors of 11.2 or larger, varying temperature ratings with the deflector technology used for suppression and specific application technology for in-rack sprinklers. This type of technology may result in im-proved fire control or suppression with a limited amount of sprinklers. Used in conjunction with horizontal barriers, this may result in lower overall water require¬ments and localize the number of sprinklers operating to a very small area of commodity. Other sprinkler technol¬ogy being considered included the use of directional type sprinklers, such as sidewalls and flat spray nozzle within rack storage. Each one of the existing technol¬ogies has the potential to be modified based on the six characteristics we discussed earlier in order to be applied in a new application.
Based upon the full-scale fire testing for rack storage covered earlier, the benefit to larger volumes of water with fire control and suppression are obvious and docu¬mented by numerous research agencies. This, combined with fire modeling, paints a clearer picture of how dry sprinkler systems operate in fire condi¬tions. While the concept of fire modeling may sound new to some, using models to predict sprinkler performance on dry systems can be traced back to the early 1970s as discussed in an article “The Number of Sprinklers Opening and Fire Growth” by R. Baldwin and M.A. North, published in NFPA periodical Fire Technology. The models referenced in this paper predicted the number of sprinklers that would operate on a dry system as it relates to fire growth. The science used in these early models will continue to be used in research for dry systems in storage applications.
All current design criteria described within NFPA 13; actual full-scale fire testing to date; current fire modeling as indicted in the report released by the NFPA Fire Protection Research Founda¬tion in 2007, titled “Review of NFPA 13 Dry System Water Delivery Provi¬sions;” and fire modeling as described above indicate that more sprinklers will operate on dry sprinkler systems than wet sprinkler system during a fire due to the inherent water delay. With this knowledge and understanding of the science the use of concepts that address the large number of open sprinklers and larger volume of water needed for control and suppression will certainly be used in high warehouse storage applica¬tions in the future.
Conclusion As the construction of warehouses with rack storage of com¬modities over 40 feet continues to grow, the fire protection industry must develop a variety of new sprinkler system solu¬tions. We are fortunate that much of the way has been paved for us by the efforts of many professionals who have done the research. The math and the science will be consistent. What is old will be new again as manufacturers seek to apply fundamental principles discussed earlier to develop new products.

Selecting the most appropriate sprinkler to be used in storage applications can be a challenging activity. Designers should not allow themselves to become distract¬ed by the terminology and language of the installation standards. The designer should be confident that the science and math are universal and that many of the principles described above remain the same for all types of sprinklers.