| Eighteen
photos below: San
Francisco, August 2009. The photos below are of a 4-alarm
fire involving several commercial/industrial occupancies of Type 2
(non-combustible / limited combustible) and Type 5 (wood frame)
construction. San Francisco’s water supply system is
one of the best in the country. However, there are some areas of the
city which could use improvement. This fire began to
exceed the available fire-flow, necessitating additional water and
the resources to supply it. Besides the normal “low-pressure”
hydrants (approximately 50-70 psi) connected to the domestic water
system, San Francisco boasts a separate dedicated high-pressure
water-supply system and an above-ground supply system with
“portable hydrants.” There are additional features
of the water-supply system which are discussed in an article written
by Tom Murray in the April-May 2000 issue of Fire
Nuggets called "Water Supply - San Francisco Style"
and found in the Archives. (Sign up for a free
membership to access this article and hundreds of others.) This fire
utilized the low-pressure system, high-pressure system, and above-ground
portable hydrant system. Note firefighters in yellow
bunker gear. They are members of the Fire Reserves
(volunteers) and often used for exterior duties such as assisting
with stretching of supply lines, etc. All photos by
Danny Barlogio. |
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