Commercial Fire Blog

Did you know that, according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), 22% of fires in commercial cooking operations were caused by a failure to clean cooking equipment? Tragically, from 2010 thru 2014, annual averages of three deaths, 110 injuries, and $165 million in property damage costs resulted from these fires.

Actually, every single commercial, industrial, and government building is required to have exit signs and emergency lights in the United States. There are very few exceptions but for the vast majority, emergency lighting is the rule.

What Is Emergency Lighting?

Emergency Lighting is an integral part of a building balanced fire protection. Emergency Lights and Exit Signs are designed to illuminate and designate the path of egress so the building occupants can egress safely from a building in the event of power failure or other emergencies.

Water. The source of life. A massive benefit to living in modern society is having clean water available at any time. All you have to do is turn on the tap and it comes flowing out crystal clean. But how do we ensure it stays that way, that no dirty water gets mixed back in with the clean? Simple—backflow preventers. But what are they? Here’s a simple analogy.

Fire extinguishers are considered the first defense against fire and can be found in numerous locations—buildings, structures, vehicles, and marine craft of all kinds. Consequently, questions surround the placement of fire extinguishers, where the general public may use them, and if they do, would the untrained individual be able to operate an extinguisher?

Just search the Internet for smoke alarm news, and you'll see headline after headline reminding us of their virtue when present or the heartbreak when not.

If a fire broke out right now, would you know where the closest fire extinguisher is? Even though most people will never use a fire extinguisher, it’s a critical lifesaving tool that you HAVE to know how to operate. According to NFPA 10, there are two key requirements to ensure that an extinguisher will perform in the event of a fire.

Designed for occupant use, in the event of fire, fire hose stations offer occupants a manual means of putting water on fires at their initial stages in an attempt to either extinguish them or to allow occupants of a building to escape them safely. These stations are comprised of a hose valve, rack and reel fire hose, hose nozzle, and a storage device—pin rack, hose reel, or hose hanger. They are connected to a building’s standpipe system and generally located in corridors and/or in stairwells. They may or may not be housed in a cabinet. Fire Hose Stations are an important part of any building’s fire protection plan, but they do not take the place of a building’s automatic extinguishing systems, like fire sprinklers or pre-engineered suppression systems. Regardless, these stations are an invaluable link in the life-saving “chain of survival” that protects people and property from the ravages of fire in buildings.

NFPA standards mandate pre-engineered fire suppression systems for special hazards. These hazards involve flammable/combustible materials, liquids, and gases found in commercial kitchens, paint spray operations, data centers, electrical storage rooms, refueling areas, chemical plants, and more. That’s why a complete fire protection plan is necessary to protect your buildings, occupants, and employees.

Never underestimate the amount of time you have to extinguish or retreat from fire. In a building, fire can spread at an alarming rate—in just thirty seconds it can become unmanageable, threatening life, limb, and property. As a matter of fact, fire can emit toxic smoke in just one minute, reach 600° within three minutes, and engulf an entire floor or building in about five minutes (depending on the size of the building or floor).¹