2021 International Building Code & More: Fire Protection Systems

Fire and smoke are two of the leading causes of death in buildings. Once started, fire can spread rapidly within a building, both horizontally and vertically, and, in some cases, between buildings. The use of fire-resistance-rated assemblies in a building’s passive system of fire protection is considered the first step in controlling the spread of smoke and fire. Besides the compartmentation that can be achieved with a passive system, an active system that reacts when a fire is detected within a space or building can be installed to provide another level of fire protection. This course will discuss active fire-protection systems and their components, including detection, alarm, and extinguishing systems. It will discuss the components of an alarm system as required by codes and/or for accessibility, and cover the various types of extinguishing systems, their components, and their use within a building. A fire protection checklist is provided at the end.