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Fire and Life Safety - 05 - Fire Hydrant Types and Installation Detail

  1. Fire hydrants shall be supplied from not less than a 6" diameter main. When dead end pipe runs exceed 300 feet, they are to be a minimum of 8" in diameter and when pipe runs exceed 600 feet, they are to be a minimum of 10" in diameter (NFPA 1141).


  2. Underground piping systems for buildings other than light-hazard occupancies and dead-end pipe which supplies both sprinklers and hydrants shall not be less than 8" in size (NFPA 13).


  3. Fire hydrants on private property shall have designated"No Parking" zones identified by a red painted curb or signage.


  4. Fire hydrants installed in locations without curbs shall be protected by installing guard posts as indicated in the drawing that is indicated in this section.


  5. All fire hydrants must be installed and in operable condition prior to starting construction.


  6. Consideration shall be given to the following items when locating fire hydrants.


    7. a. Locate approximately 40 feet or greater from any building.
     
    b. Provide access to hydrant by paved road of sufficient size for parking fire apparatus.
     
    c. Protect any hydrant located at the toe of a bank from slides by means of a retaining wall.
     
    d. Assumed or known soil bearing load.
     
    e. Maintain a minimum 3 foot clear space around the circumference of the fire hydrants.
     
    f. Install a gate valve in the hydrant branch with a christy box and cover. Cover to be painted white.
     
    g. Install a gate valve in the hydrant branch, with cast iron valve box and cover.
     
    h. Berkeley Campus Fire Hydrant Standard: Clow Mfg. Company model No. 860 equivalent or equal, with two 2-1/2-inch and one 4-1/2-inch outlets having National Standard Threads.

  7. Install concrete thrust blocks with steel (reinforced bar in concrete) at all changes in direction in lines having joints that may slip or creep apart under pressure. Thrust blocks/rod and clamp with 3/4-inch stainless steel rod, using mechanical joint piping. See Appendix X, Typical Water Service & Piping Systems.


  8. Pour all thrust blocks against undisturbed earth in trench cuts.


  9. Provide the following thrust block data on the plans.


    10. a. Design pressure on line.
     
    b. Test pressure for line.
     
    c. Location of thrust blocks.
     
    d. Assumed or known soil bearing load.
     
    e. Bearing area on soil, in square feet for each type fitting (tee, elbow, etc.).
     
    f. Typical installation details on drawings.

  10. All new fire hydrant installations shall include a break-off riser to protect the hydrant body and bury from breakage when struck by a vehicle.


    11. Note: Any alterations to existing systems shall use break-off riser as noted above.

  11. All underground lines, hydrants, etc., shall be hydrostatically tested at 200 lbs. for 2 hours.


  12. All underground lines, hydrants, etc., shall be flushed using approved methods as per NFPA Standards.


  13. Flow testing on hydrants located on campus or on University-owned property shall be witnessed by the Campus Fire Marshal. Flow testing on off-campus sites will be witnessed by the appropriate local fire department and coordinated through the Campus Fire Marshal.


  14. Any new fire hydrant shall have a blue dot reflective marker installed on the street surface, so as to make the hydrant visible to responding Fire Department personnel.

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