Fire Department Garage Area

[Ctigerman1]

I have an Architect stating a Fire Department Garage, if over 5,000 sf, is not required to be sprinkled. He is stating it does not meet the intent of Commercial motor vehicles definition. Of course per the 2021 IBC section 903.2.9 Group S-1 item 4) A group s-1 fire area used for storage of commercial motor vehicles where the fire area exceeds 5,000 sf requires a sprinkler system.

The definition of Commercial Motor Vehicle sates: A motor vehicle used to transport passengers or property where the motor vehicle meets one of the following: 1. Has a gross vehicle weight rating of 10,000 lbs or more. 2. Is designed to transport 16 or more passengers, including the driver.

A Fire Truck is going to weigh more than 10,000 lbs.

 

[Joe.B]

I can see the headlines now...

Brand-new fire station in Germany burns down as it had no fire alarms

A fire alarm system wasn't installed in the building because experts did not consider it necessary.

www.euronews.com

 

[mtlogcabin]

A ford F350 pickup has a gvw over 10,000 pounds.

You don't store a fire truck unless it is in a museum. A fire department structure for parking fire trucks would be a S-2 parking garage IMHO.

 

[Yankee Chronicler]

The fire house in my home town was severely damaged by fire a number of years ago. No sprinklers.

IMHO, a fire truck falls within the definition of commercial vehicle. I suspect the fire trucks have some sort of government license plates, so this architect is under the assumption that they are not commercial vehicles because they are not being used in commerce. The definition doesn't care what kind of license plates are on the vehicle. If the gross vehicle weight rating is 10,000 pounds or greater, for code purposes it is a commercial motor vehicle.

The 2021 IBC Commentary agrees that a fire department would be an S-2:

 

[steveray]

Same in S2:

[F]​

An automatic sprinkler system shall be provided throughout buildings used for storage of commercial motor vehicles where the fire area exceeds 5,000 square feet (464 m2).

 

[Yankee Chronicler]

Looks like IBC Commentary Figure 903.2 thinks an S-2 parking garage requires sprinklers if over 5,000 s.f. and if commercial vehicles are stored. See IBC 903.2.10.1. And the Commentary clarifies that this applies to the size of the fire area, not just the size of the garage.

 

[RLGA]

I have yet to work on a fire station that does not include a sprinkler system—not because of the apparatus bay but because of Group R for the firefighters' dormitory, which requires a sprinkler throughout the building. Unless the dormitory is located in a separate building from the apparatus bay (which I highly doubt), the Group S-2 area would require a sprinkler system regardless of whether it is under or over 5,000 sq. ft.

 

[jar546]

I have yet to work on a fire station that does not include a sprinkler system—not because of the apparatus bay but because of Group R for the firefighters' dormitory, which requires a sprinkler throughout the building. Unless the dormitory is located in a separate building from the apparatus bay (which I highly doubt), the Group S-2 area would require a sprinkler system regardless of whether it is under or over 5,000 sq. ft.

Bingo. They all have on-duty sleeping quarters.

 

[steveray]

And possibly an A3 fire area if they have training.....then 12,000 FA

 

[blugosi]

I understand that the minimum requirements for any structure are defined in applicable Codes and Standards.
However, some engineering judgement should be applied in all projects.

I have been involved in the design of dozens of fire stations, even though they are all located in Europe.
Some of them are on US military bases.
I have always specified sprinklers for the firetruck's garage.
Some arguments supporting such a choice:

1. No matter if its an adopted Code or not, NFPA 1 states:

13.3.2.3
New buildings housing emergency fire, rescue, or ambulance services shall be protected throughout by approved supervised automatic sprinkler systems.


2. Trucks in a fire station tend to be much busier than a parking garage. In many cases, such trucks are always plugged in on electric power to keep their diesel engines warm for immediate operation in full power during an alarm. The fire risk is not what the code committees had in mind.

3. US Codes usually focus on Life Safety. They assess the risk of fire as a threat to occupant's lives. A fire station however, is a crucial asset for the safe operation of entire communities. If my car-park catches fire and burns my house down, no harm to anybody else except for myself.
My neighbors' homes however are built up to Code, while it is assumed that there is a firetruck/ambulance ready to save us all no more than 8 minutes away.
In most European countries there is a classification of buildings based on their importance to the State or the community. Hospitals, police stations and fire stations are classified as high value and require more protection measures.

4. In the US, the FEMA Assistance to Firefighters Grant (AFG) allows for the retrofit of NFPA 13 fire sprinkler systems in many existing fire stations.

5. There are more things than just firetrucks in a fire station apparatus bay. The firemen will keep gear, equipment and even carry out some operations on the spot. Such as having a washing machine, some basic tools for rescue equipment servicing and so on. No-matter if this is permitted or not, it happens to every fire station I have visited on both sides of the Atlantic.

6. There are quite a few fire station incidents, we cannot ignore that fact.

 

[Yankee Chronicler]

Bingo. They all have on-duty sleeping quarters.

Actually, they don't. I don't know about other parts of the country, but in my home town and in a great many towns throughout New England fire departments are 100 percent volunteer. Fire houses have NO sleeping quarters, because there are no firefighters on duty unless and until an alarm is called in.