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Home My WebLink About313.023 - Standpipe Valve Control Fresno City Fire Department 300 Training and Equipment Manual SECTION 313.023 STAND-PIPE VALVE CONTROL PURPOSE The purpose of this policy is to provide standard operating procedures for the adjustment and control of the Stand-Pipe (SP) Discharge Valve to deliver appropriate pressure for 2” high-rise hose line equipped with 1-1/8” solid stream nozzle. APPLICATION Appropriate management of the Stand-Pipe (SP) discharge requires knowledge, skill, and discipline to ensure safe operating pressure is supplied to the fire attack hose line. During initial charging of the hose line, it is critically important to coordinate adjustment of Stand-Pipe (SP) discharge pressure with the firefighter at the nozzle. In most situations, this coordination requires radio communication. OPERATIONAL POLICY This section intentionally left blank. OPERATIONAL GUIDELINE This section intentionally left blank. PROCESS Stand-Pipe Discharge Connections: 1. Evaluate the discharge. a. Remove the cap. b. Ensure the valve is operable. If the valve is frozen or difficult to open, it may be necessary to use a pipe wrench on the stem to operate valve. Effective Date: November 2016 E. John Ross, Fire Captain Current Revision Date: 06/30/2022 Section 313.023 Next Revision (1) Date: 06/30/2024 Page 1 of 6 c. Thoroughly flush the Stand-Pipe (SP) discharge. Open the valve enough to confirm required flow is available for fire attack (use best judgment). This requires flowing a significant amount of water. When flushing the Stand-Pipe (SP) discharge, allowing enough water to flow is necessary. Partial obstructions (such as rust and hard water deposits) may allow adequate pressure, but insufficient volume at the Stand-Pipe (SP) discharge. i. Adequately flushing a Stand-Pipe (SP) Discharge Valve may cause significant water damage to areas of a structure undamaged by fire; do not allow this to cause hesitancy when flushing the Stand-Pipe (SP) discharge. 2. Connect 60-degree elbow to the Stand-Pipe (SP) discharge. 3. Connect in-line pressure gauge to elbow. 4. Connect 2 ½” x 1 ½” gated wye: a. If the Stand-Pipe (SP) discharge is in the stairwell, connect the wye directly to the in-line pressure gauge. b. If the Stand-Pipe (SP) discharge is located more than 10’ outside the stairwell, connect the 50’ section of 2-1/2” hose to in-line gauge, connect the gated wye to the 2 ½” hose; advance the 2 ½” hose line to position the wye at the base of the stairwell one floor below the fire floor. In rare circumstances, a second 50’ section of 2-1/2” hose may be required. Any excess 2-1/2” hose must be flaked, and kinks managed. Stand-Pipe Discharge Control Procedure: 1. Confirm by radio the following: a. Stand-Pipe (SP) water supply has been established with appropriate pressure. b. A 150’ of 2” hose is attached to 2-1/2” x 1-1/2” wye. c. Valve on fire attack hose line (Line 1) side of wye is open. Effective Date: November 2016 E. John Ross, Fire Captain Current Revision Date: 06/30/2022 Section 313.023 Next Revision (1) Date: 06/30/2024 Page 2 of 6 d. Valve on unused side of wye is closed. e. Firefighters are in position and ready for water; nozzle is closed. Slowly open the Stand-Pipe (SP) Discharge Valve to charge the hose line, allow pressure to stabilize (become static). 2. Set Stand-Pipe (SP) Discharge Pressure: a. Inform fire attack of readiness to set the discharge pressure. b. Fire attack fully opens the nozzle. Fire attack must perform this task before entering an Immediately Dangerous to Life and Health (IDLH) environment. If practical, minimize water damage by flowing water out a window. c. With nozzle fully open, Stand-Pipe Control adjusts the Stand- Pipe (SP) Discharge Valve to achieve target pressure as indicated by in-line gauge. i. Nozzle must remain fully open until Stand-Pipe (SP) Control announces via radio correct pressure has been set. ii. After the Stand-Pipe (SP) discharge pressure has been established, firefighters can now close nozzle and prepare to enter IDLH to initiate fire attack. iii. After nozzle is shut, Stand-Pipe (SP) Control should expect the in-line gauge to indicate pressure increase. Do not make any adjustments to compensate. 3. Considerations when adding a second line (Line 2) to the gated wye: a. Residual pressure is sufficient to supply a second 2” hose line with 1 1/8” SS nozzle (Line 2). Do not adjust the Stand-Pipe (SP) valve to compensate for Line 2. i. In-line gauge may read as low as 80 psi when opening the nozzle of Line 2 while simultaneously flowing Line 1. Effective Date: November 2016 E. John Ross, Fire Captain Current Revision Date: 06/30/2022 Section 313.023 Next Revision (1) Date: 06/30/2024 Page 3 of 6 ii. If Stand-Pipe (SP) Control were to adjust the discharge to a higher pressure while both lines are flowing, when one line is shut down, the other line receives excessive pressure and could cause injury to firefighters. iii. Once the Stand-Pipe (SP) discharge pressure is set, make no further adjustments unless required by extreme circumstances and firefighters on affected hose lines are notified of pressure readjustment. 4. Additional responsibilities of Stand-Pipe (SP) Control: a. Maintain constant visual contact with Stand-Pipe (SP) Control Valve; ensure no adjustments are made by others. b. Assist with advancement of hose line(s) if possible. c. Adjust hose lines to remove kinks. d. When practical, and without sacrificing visual monitoring of the Stand-Pipe (SP) Control Valve, can perform other necessary tasks in support of firefighting operations. 5. When practical, and without sacrificing visual monitoring of the Stand- Pipe (SP) Control Valve, can perform other necessary tasks in support of firefighting operations. INFORMATION Radio Identifiers: The first Stand-Pipe (SP) discharge to be utilized by fire attack should be supplied from the floor below the fire. The firefighter controlling a Stand-Pipe (SP) discharge is identified as “Stand-Pipe Control” followed by the floor number on which Stand-Pipe (SP) discharge is located. For example, given a fire on the ninth floor, the firefighter controlling the Stand-Pipe (SP) Discharge Valve supplying initial attack hose line would be operating on the eighth floor (one floor below the fire location), and identified as “Stand-Pipe Control 8”. The second Stand-Pipe (SP) discharge to be utilized should be located two floors below the fire, and Effective Date: November 2016 E. John Ross, Fire Captain Current Revision Date: 06/30/2022 Section 313.023 Next Revision (1) Date: 06/30/2024 Page 4 of 6 the firefighter in control of this discharge is identified as “Stand-Pipe Control 7”. Stand-Pipe Pressure Standards: Delivery of appropriate pressure to hand lines supplied by a Stand-Pipe (SP) is primarily the responsibility of personnel assigned to Stand-Pipe (SP) Control. The Driver/Operator at the engine supplying the Stand- Pipe (SP) delivers a standard pressure; this standard pressure exceeds pressure required to supply individual hand lines. Stand-Pipe (SP) Control must gate down each individual Stand-Pipe (SP) valve to achieve required nozzle pressure. All predetermined Stand-Pipe (SP) target discharge pressures are based on the use of a standard high-rise hose lay: • 60-degree elbow. • 2-1/2” In-line gauge. • 2-1/2” x 1-1/2” wye. • 150’ of 2” hose. • 1-1/8” Solid Stream (SS) tip. Refer to the Training and Equipment Manual, Section 303.005, Pump Operators Guide (POG) for appropriate target pressure standards. Additionally, a printed summary of pressure standards is affixed to each 2 ½” in-line gauge. Cautions Regarding a Wye Attached to a Stand-Pipe Discharge: 1. Stand-Pipe (SP) systems are designed to supply only one hose line per discharge. 2. The practice of using a gated wye to supply two hand lines from a single Standpipe (SP) discharge offers tactical advantages as well as increased risk to firefighter safety: a. The intended function of a second hose line connected to a wye is to quickly deploy a Two-Out line, or to quickly replace a burst hose line for fire attack. It should not be used as a second line for fire attack; if a second line is Effective Date: November 2016 E. John Ross, Fire Captain Current Revision Date: 06/30/2022 Section 313.023 Next Revision (1) Date: 06/30/2024 Page 5 of 6 required for fire attack it should be supplied by a different Stand-Pipe (SP) discharge. b. Be aware that using a gated wye to supply two hose lines from a single Stand-Pipe (SP) discharge creates a hazard to firefighters. Changes in flow from one line (opening/closing nozzle) can cause pressure surges and/or inadequate flow on the other hose line. DEFINITIONS This section intentionally left blank CROSS REFERENCES Fresno Fire Department Hose Practices Guide Training and Equipment Manual Section 303.005, Pump Operator Guide Section 313.022, Supplying Stand-Pipe Systems Section 316.004, Advance a 5” inch Hose to a Stand-Pipe or Sprinkler System FDC Effective Date: November 2016 E. John Ross, Fire Captain Current Revision Date: 06/30/2022 Section 313.023 Next Revision (1) Date: 06/30/2024 Page 6 of 6