Fire Protection Capabilities

Establishing effective fire prevention and protection programs begins with the identification of fire risk. Fire hazards can be unique to each facility within an industry and must be quantified in terms of:

• Potential Fire and Explosion Severity
• Probability of Fire and Explosion Occurrence

Fire severity is based on the nature and quantity of combustible/flammable materials. This requires an assessment of unit operations or fuel loading to determine the configuration and quantity of material that might be involved in a fire. Once fuel load values are determined, an estimate of fire duration and intensity can be made.

Explosion severity can be determined by quantitative determination of release parameters. Releases must be properly characterized (e.g., liquid or gaseous release, two-phase flow, flashing and pool evaporation rates, etc.) to provide accurate mass and release rate values for flammable gas/vapor cloud formation. Once the event parameters term(s) has been defined, engineering calculations and/or computer based modeling is used in determining the potential yield and resulting effects of deflagrations/detonations. Analysis of these events can be performed using TNT equivalency, Multi-energy models, and other tools.

Fire or explosion occurrence probability is determined through categorizing Fire/Explosion event scenarios. These are typically done through the use of fault tree and event tree modeling which graphically presents the potential propagation of a given event to its various possible outcomes. These outcomes are based on the probability of ignition, fire/ignition detection, automated suppression system or other safeguard reliability, likelihood of containment/mitigation of the event through passive barriers, and manual suppression/intervention response. These analyses result in a list of possible fire/explosion outcomes where a given severity level can be matched with its likelihood of occurrence. These scenarios then form the basis for monetized annual fire risk determination through the assignment of likely dollar losses from property damage, business interruption potential, and related factors.

Once characterized, fire risk determination values can be used to assess the cost-benefit of construction and/or safeguard feature upgrades for making risk-informed loss prevention upgrades.

Whether developing a new capital project, or assessing an existing facility or operation, it is vital to determine and document compliance status against codes, standards, and recommended practices. JLN’s staff have been involved in countless assessments of new, existing, and retrofitted facilities running the spectrum of occupancies.

JLN works with a variety of fire codes in supporting our clients. We have prepared compliance assessments and alternative compliance strategies against these codes.

Our staff are graduates of the State of CT Fire Marshal class, in addition to various seminars and continuing educational programs. JLN staff maintain membership with the National Fire Protection Association, and related technical and professional organizations. Through this involvement, we consistently follow the development of new technologies and regulatory requirements. We are also active participants in helping shape and develop the codes via staff members who serve on NFPA committees and lead other local Chapter and Regional trade groups.

In addition to our code expertise, JLN has working knowledge of the loss prevention criteria from major highly protected risk (HPR) insurance providers. We work with the criteria of Factory Mutual, Industrial Risk Insurers, Nuclear Mutual Limited, and related providers on a regular basis. JLN understands the critical issues in addressing underwriter concerns in mitigating Maximum Probable Loss exposure and in identifying those root causes that can lead to catastrophic loss. Our staff has considerable day-to-day facility operational experience and recognizes the engineering, management, and programmatic failures that contribute to increasing susceptibility to fire loss.

JLN can also assist you in building facility loss prevention programs. We know how to develop and structure management and implementing features of your program to streamline documentation, simplify compliance, and maximize oversight of your operations, assets, information management systems, personnel safe work practices, and related items. Integration of these programs into your way of doing business is widely recognized by safety professionals as the most effective means of ensuring continuous improvement in loss prevention. We can help strengthen and integrate existing programs, or build them from the ground up.

JLN Loss Prevention Services include:

• Facility Surveys
• Fire Safety Evaluation System (FSES) assessments
• ISO Grading Support
• Insurer Negotiation/Design Criteria Development
• Fire Protection System Surveillance and Maintenance Procedures
• Fire Protection System Testing Procedures
• Transient Combustible Control Programs
• Hot Work Permitting Programs
• Impairment Control/Notification Program

JLN has a broad base of expertise in determining both required and available fire suppression water supply requirements. We can properly group and classify single and multi-building sites or complexes to determine Needed Fire Flow requirements as required by insurance carriers or municipalities. We can then map out a water supply and delivery strategy to ensure that both automated fire systems and municipal/private fire responders have the required flows and pressure for effective fire suppression at all points in a system.
JLN can evaluate the hydraulic adequacy of both fire suppression systems and fire water delivery systems. This includes both stand alone fire water supply/pumping systems as well as low and high pressure service water systems with combined fire protection water supply demands. We use both field flow testing and engineering analysis to confirm the condition of pumping and piping networks and the ability to supply existing or planned fire protection systems and system expansions.

JLN available services include:

• Needed Fire Flow Determination
• Water Flow Testing Programs
• Fire System Demand Calculations
• Natural Reservoir Evaluation
• Analysis of Multi-source Water Delivery Systems
• Identification of Deteriorated Water Piping and Pump Elements

JLN has extensive experience in the assessment of passive barrier systems. This includes structural steel fire proofing, fire walls and through-penetration seal systems, fire doors and fire dampers, conduit and cable tray wraps, fire stops, and smoke seals. We can assess installed configurations against baseline fire tests or design documents to ensure that the as-built configuration is in conformance with its design basis.

We can also develop surveillance and inspection programs, installation and repair procedures

With its experienced fire marshal staff, the JLN team is well suited to support our clients in the review of life safety/fire protection features for a given installation. We can provide independent expert review for any aspect of fire protection. This may include representing the owner to an authority having jurisdiction (AHJ), acting as an AHJ accepted third party reviewer, providing oversight and management of vendor pre-engineered and engineered installations, or providing review of owner’s internal engineering designs/projects and related matters. We have the experience to rapidly and cost-effectively summarize any crucial compliance issues or design deficiencies that are appropriately identified in the design phase, not after you’ve completed your construction and may be facing costly retrofits.

If you are facing post-installation or existing system acceptance issues, JLN can provide an accurate assessment of the design or installation deficiencies of any fire protection system or component. Since we have designed all types of fire protection systems, we know where the potential deficiencies might reside.

JLN has the experience in fire investigation and accident investigation to properly characterize and reconstruct fire incidents. This is done through both site investigation and system response evaluation to catalog physical evidence and system response data. This is then used to develop critical event timelines for reconstruction of the fire’s likely progression.
JLN services include:

• Physical Evidence/Site Characteristics Documentation
• Debris Inventory, Removal, and Storage
• Management of Structure Salvage and Cleanup
• Operational and Off-Site Response Evaluation
• Post Incident Documentation
• Graphical Response Timeline Summaries

JLN staff have inspected and specified test programs for dry chemical suppression systems for both fixed and mobile hazards. These systems are generally limited to high hazard, flammable liquid installations and/or various fuel delivery/storage systems.

Similar to our experience with water-based systems, JLN has tested gaseous-based suppression systems for numerous different hazards and occupancies. We understand the benefits and limitations of every type of gaseous system. We also know which systems pose concerns outside of those strictly relating to fire extinguishing effectiveness (e.g., life safety, toxicity, corrosion products deposition, ozone depletion and/or global warming potential, etc.). Given the rapid rate of change in gaseous system and associated replacement agents/technologies, we closely monitor the development and promulgation of standards as well as research into all available options.
JLN gaseous agent system test program development services include:

• Low and High Pressure Carbon Dioxide Systems
• Alternate/Clean Agent Extinguishing Systems (e.g., Halocarbons, Inerting Agents)
• Halon 1301 Systems
• Alternate Acceptance Testing Methodologies
• Halon Banking/Recycling Programs

Principles of Fire Prevention for Managers and Supervisors

JLN has developed this training program to provide supervisors and managers their roles and responsibilities to implement Fire Prevention programs at their facilities.  This program prepares management to implement conjunction with company emergency plans and other safety programs.

Fire prevention measures reduce the incidence of fires by eliminating opportunities for ignition of flammable materials by understanding the storage and protective measures that are required. Training will cover the requirements of testing and inspecting the various types of fire protection equipment used in the work place.

JLN has tested water-based suppression systems of various types and configuration for various types of hazards. We can provide the right suppression system test for systems ranging from rack storage to light hazard office occupancies. We actively follow on-going research and development advancements in suppression technologies so that we can offer our clients state-of-the-art protection appropriate to their hazards/applications.

JLN water-based system test services include:

• Wet and Dry Sprinklers
• Preaction and Deluge sprinklers
• In-rack, ESFR, and High-density Applications
• Water Spray Systems
• Low and High Expansion Foam Systems
• Automated and Manual Monitor Nozzle/Deck Guns
• Standpipe and Hose Stations

JLN has tested stand-alone private water supply systems as well as those supported from municipal or site service water distribution systems. We understand the importance of qualifying supply capacity under both normal and adverse delivery conditions (e.g., MDC or drought conditions), ensuring reliability in the supply system, and ensuring proper operations of components and piping for your service conditions.

We are familiar with both National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and American Water Works Association (AWWA) standards that apply to water supply and delivery systems and can provide both test plans and procedures and material specifications to meet your site conditions and water supply demands.

JLN services include:

• System commissioning (Acceptance testing)
• Pump and prime mover Testing Programs
• Underground and aboveground fire mains Flushing and Testing
• Hydrant and hydrant hose house distribution/arrangement testing inspection and maintenance.