Date
6-2025
Degree Name
MS in Fire Protection Engineering
College
College of Engineering
Advisor
Fredrick Mowrer and Christopher Pascual
Abstract
This report provides a fire safety analysis for Los Angeles County Fire Station 171. To accomplish this, the fire station is analyzed using both a prescriptive and performance-based design approach. With this in mind, the report will show areas where Fire Station 171 is in compliance with codes and standards outlined in the International Building Code (IBC) and the National Fire Protection Agency (NFPA). This report will also recommend improvements for the fire station in areas where the building is not up to current standards and codes.
Fire Station 171 is a two-story Type IIA construction fire station that also has various office spaces within the station. The station is unique because it is one of the larger buildings the Los Angeles County Fire Department owns and operates. Additionally, a fire station can typically be classified as a mixed-use facility since the people that occupy the building will occupy offices, dormitories, classrooms, and storage areas.
From a prescriptive-based approach, the building does have some structural fire protection, egress features and fire safety devices that are used to protect the life safety of occupants in the building. The building does not have any fire sprinklers installed. Due to this, this report proposes a fire sprinkler design and reviews a cost-based analysis to determine if fire sprinklers may be cost efficient when considering all the values at risk inside a fire station, in particular all of the equipment and apparatus at risk.
According to the National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS), from 1996-1998 44% (approximately 66 station fires out of 150 total reported fired) of fire station fires involved apparatus on station property. Therefore, a performance-based design approach is used to determine if an apparatus floor fire would create untenable conditions for occupants trying to escape in the event of a fire. The tenability criteria assumes that some of the doors on the apparatus floor are left in the propped open position as this does happen from time-to-time in the fire station. The design includes determining and comparing Available Safe Egress Time (ASET) and Required Safe Egress Time (RSET). RSET is determined by determining Detector Time, Pre- movement Time, and Movement Time. ASET is determined by selecting tenability criteria identified in Chapter 63 of the Fifth Edition of the SFPE handbook. The tenability criteria include Heat Flux, Fractional Effective Dose (FED), Optical Density (OD), and Visibility. Using this design approach and scenario, it was shown that for FED, OD, and Visibility, RSET > ASET meaning leaving doors propped open should not be done as untenable conditions will exist in the path of egress. However, the solution to this problem is simple, ensure all apparatus doors stay shut at all times due to the life risk in the event of a fire. To address the values at risk in the event of a fire it is proposed that fire sprinklers be installed. In this report it is shown that for approximately $3256 annually, millions in equipment, building repair and apparatus could be saved in the event of a fire and may be a worthwhile consideration.
In conclusion, the building does meet codes and standards of the IBC and NFPA from a prescriptive-based approach; however, improvements can be made by providing the building with a fire alarm system, and fire sprinkler system. From a performance-based approach, station occupants should ensure that apparatus doors remain shut at all times as an apparatus floor fire presents significant untenable conditions for the occupant’s egress pathways.
https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/fpe_rpt/187
Final Presentation