- The History Of Fire Protection
- A fire sprinkler system is an active fire protection measure,
consisting of a water supply system, providing adequate pressure
and flow rate to a water distribution piping system, onto which
fire sprinklers are connected.
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- The fire prevention system is a good deal order than you
might think. In 1806 Englishman John Carey developed the idea
of a heat-operated devise that would distribute water through
a system of perforated pipes to extinguish a fire. It is generally
accepted that the world’s first sprinkler system was installed
in the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane in the United Kingdom in 1812.
The system was designed by Sir William Congreve, 2nd Baronet
was covered in a patent dated the same year. The system consisted
of a cylindrical airtight reservoir of water, fed by a 10 inch
water main which branched to all parts of the theater. A series
of smaller pipes feed from the distribution pipe were pierced
with a series of 1/2 inches holes that poured water onto the
fire.
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- By 1852, yes that's before the Civil War, perforated pipe
systems were commonly used in various industry buildings for
fire protection in the United States. These early systems relied
on manual interaction and did not automatically turn on when
a fire was detected. It wasn't the best system, but it was better
than nothing.
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- Many early inventors began investing time and effort to improve
these systems from the time they were initially used. But it
wasn't until 1860 when interest of an automated system began
to have interest. Barnabas Wood of Nashville, Tennessee patented
the first basic sprinkler. His design included a eutectic fusible
solder link, which is the foundation for all modern-day sprinklers.
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 In 1864 Major Stewart
Harrison of the 1st Engineer Volunteers of London England, gave
to the world the first Automatic Sprinkler Head. Working off
of these overseas ideas, Philip Pratt of Abington Massachusetts
developed his own version and patented the first automated sprinkler
system in 1872 in the United States. Two years later Henry Parmelee
of New Haven Connecticut improved on Pratt's design and created
the first practical automatic sprinkler head. The first system
using this concept was installed in his own piano factory in
1874.
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- In 1878 a Providence, Rhode Island man, Frederick Grinnell
developed his own patented design and entered into a business
arrangement with Parmelee to manufacture the "Parmelee"
Sprinkler. Grinnell also designed and erected the piping installations
in which the "Parmelee" Heads were fitted into buildings.
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- Interest in the Parmalee Sprinkler grew through out New England.
Taking advantage of this interest Parmelee and Grinnell organized
a test and demonstration of a sprinkler system. The Wholesale
Market Square of Bolton was erected. It was a shed 20ft x 30ft
and was fitted with 6 Parmelee sprinklers. The shed contained
wood chips, shavings, tallow, barrels and other such products
and storage canisters one might find in the average industry
building of the time. Paraffin oil was also added to the combustible
material and set ablaze in 3 places by the Bolton Fire Brigade
Superintendent. Immediately flames erupted to such size and intensity
that spectators were driven back from the blaze. In 1minute and
20seconds later the first Sprinkler opened, followed by the remaining
system. Within a short time the fire was reported suppressed.
 A week later a second
test was provided with a modification in fuel and product. Dismantled
mule carriages and wood shavings were included in the shed. The
Bolton Evening News reported on June 30, 1881 - "fire was
set to this inflammable material in five places, and in 58 seconds
one of the caps had burst off and the Sprinkler was at work.
The flames had no sooner appeared to be getting hold, and from
the open doorway could be seen leaping to the ceiling, then they
were hidden to sight in a cloud of smoke, and in three minutes
the fire was practically quelled."
Parmelee took the reports of these tests and began selling the
value of Automatic Sprinkler systems to Insurance companies.
His sales pitch outlined not only the protection of life, but
of equipment and product as well. He won over one of Bolton's
largest business owners, Cotton Spinner Major Hesketh, who was
also Chairman of the Bolton Cotton Trades Mutual Insurance Company.
The Directors of this Company took note of these early experiments,
and gave Parmelee his first order for the Sprinkler Installations.
These systems were installed in the Cotton Spinning Mills of
John Stones & Co., at Astley Bridge, Bolton, to be followed
soon afterwards by the Alexandra Mills belonging to John Butler.
The installation of fire suppression systems hit local newspapers
and the news slowly spread throughout the industrial northeast.
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- Later, in 1881, Grinnell who was the chief mechanical engineer
and general manager of the Jersey City Locomotive Works patented
the first "sensitive" automatic sprinkler. The design
was unique in the field of hydraulics and revolutionized the
concepts of fire protection and suppression. Not long after,
Grinnell entered into a business agreement with Sir William Mather
of England who put Grinnell on the map as the most influential
man in the fire prevention industry. Mather acquired the rights
to the Grinnell sprinkler for the eastern hemisphere, along with
Australia and India.
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 Legislation for
setting fire prevention, suppression and installation of fire
protection systems began to appear in 1885. Some of the first
rules applied in the sprinkler industry were penned by John Wormald,
an Englishman who began his career with Parmelee.
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- In 1895 the National Fire Protection association (NFPA) was
founded. It was the first time anyone had set and implemented
standards for the installation of automatic fire sprinklers.
His venture proved to be greatly successful and the NFPA standards
became the uniformed installation requirements for the United
States and Canada. Learn more about the Birth
of NFPA from their article in the NFPA
Journal® for the association´s centennial celebration
in 1996.
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- But how effective were these early standards? A landmark
study conducted in 1913 reported that over the 38-year period
since sprinkler systems were used, only 5 people had been killed
in fires that included a sprinkler system. After the results
of this were published, NFPA established the formal Life Safety
Code.
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- Grinnell's own corporation continued improving sprinkler
supplies and equipment. The Grinnell Corporation developed the
quick opening device in 1920. In 1921 the company released the
first Quartzoid sprinkler.
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- With each passing year, Grinnell and the NFPA became the
recognized leaders in fire prevention safety. That reputation
made it easy for the NFPA to issue its first guide to fire departments
regarding the use of fire sprinkler systems in 1933. Then followed
that up with the issuance of the Care and Maintenance of Sprinkler
systems in 1939, taking the industry to the next level of fire
protection.
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- Even with all these accepted standards and recognized benefits,
sprinkler systems were still only used in industrial business.
It wasn't until the late 1940s when installation into hospitals,
schools, hotels and other public buildings became a mandatory
practice.
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- The NFPA continued its influence over the industry through
the NFPA Quarterly magazine. In 1950 the periodical reported
that sprinklers have been over 96% effective in recorded incidents
of fire. A justification to the standards, equipment and oversight
that NFPA put into place earlier in the century. But there was
still room for growth.
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- Today's Fire Protection Systems
- There is very little Federal legislation regarding sprinkler
system design and installation. Building codes are generally
left to local jurisdictions and that includes the specifications
for sprinkler systems. The Federal government has used its funding
and monetary clout to strongly encourage fire safety standards.
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 Even with all the
improvements and desires to protect life through fire prevention
and suppression systems, nothing impacts the process more than
catastrophe. The MGM Grand Hotel fire in Las Vegas in 1980 was
such an event. 85 guests and workers died during the fire captured
on TV by local, national and even worldwide news agencies. The
tragedy resulted in one of the nations first fire sprinkler retrofit
ordinances for high-rise buildings.
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- Many see this fire as the event that set off some of the
first federal legislation for building safety. In 1990 the US
Congress passed PL-101-391, better known as "The Hotel and
Motel Safety Act (of 1990)". This law requires that any
hotel, meeting hall, or similar institution that receives federal
funds (i.e. for a government traveler's overnight stay, or a
conference, etc.), must meet fire and other safety requirements.
Included in these conditions is the implementation of working
sprinklers.
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- Today fire sprinkler application and installation guidelines,
and overall fire sprinkler system design guidelines, are provided
by the standards set in several NFPA sections. The most common
standards are found in NFPA 13, NFPA 13D, and NFPA 13R, NFPA
14, NFPA 20 and NFPA 24. These specifications define the accepted
minimum requirements for building codes that are set by local
jurisdictions in the United States. Many local jurisdictions
add on to these requirements and various state jurisdictions
include additional requirements within state wide building codes.
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- Other Historical Dates of Interest:
- 1863, Alanson Crane patented the fire extinguisher.
- 1853, the first practical fire engine was tested in Cincinnati,
Ohio.
- 1878, the nation's first firehouse pole was installed in
New York City.
- 1821, the first rubber-lined cotton web fire hose was patented
by Joseph Boyd of Boston.
- 1878, Joseph Winters patented the fire escape ladder.
- 1890, Daniel McCree of Chicago invented a portable fire escape
- During World War II, Percy Julian used a soy protein to produce
AeroFoam, which suffocates gasoline and oil fires.
- 1953 NFPA Pamphlet 13 is revised to recognize what is today's
"standard sprinkler".
- 1962 NFPA issues the first formal standard on foam-water
sprinklers and spray systems.
- 1973 The Central Sprinkler Company pioneers the miniaturization
of sprinklers.
- 1986 Tyco acquires Grinnell Supply Sales and Manufacturing.
- 1992 Central Sprinkler Company pioneers the industry's first
Extra Large Oriface (ELO) Sprinkler, and follows that up with
the first "residential shut off valve".
- 1999 Tyco acquires Central Sprinkler Company giving Tyco
management over the industry's 3 oldest and most recognizable
names: Central, Gem and Star.
- 2002 Tyco Fire Products introduced the industry's first Extended
Coverage sprinkler for storage.
- 2005 NFPA mandated Life Safety Code (NFPA 101).
- 2006 Tyco launches the Rapid Response home fire sprinkler
brand, designed specifically for residential application.
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- INTEGRITY
has designed several commercial, industrial and residential sprinkler
systems for our clients. We have the knowledge and experience
to help you lay out a plan and design a system that's right for
your business or home. You can learn more about INTEGRITY, our experience and
services by visiting our Home page
or calling us at 704.888.5510
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- Copyright 2010 - Integrity Fire Services Inc.
- Duplication of any material, in whole or in part, is strictly
prohibited.
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