An approved water supply capable of supplying the required fire flow for fire protection shall be provided to premises upon which facilities, buildings or portions of buildings are hereafter constructed or moved into or within the jurisdiction.
Private fire service mains and appurtenances shall be installed in accordance with NFPA 24 as amended in Chapter 80.
Water tanks for private fire protection shall be installed in accordance with NFPA 22.
Fire flow requirements for buildings or portions of buildings and facilities shall be determined by an approved method or Appendix B.
Fire-flows shall comply
with Table 507.3.1 for any structures, group of structures
or facilities by the type of land development, or as otherwise
determined by the Chief.
- Where street alignments mandate the installation of dead-end mains, the fire-flow in gallons per minute may be adjusted downward, depending on the type of land development.
- A minimum residual water pressure of 20 pounds per square inch (137.9 kPa) is to remain in the system with the required gallons per minute flowing.
| TYPE OF LAND DEVELOPMENT | FIRE-FLOW IN GALLONS PER MINUTE |
| Low density Residential | 2,000 gpm from three adjacent fire hydrants flowing simultaneously. |
| High density Residential and Neighborhood Commercial |
4,000 gpm from four adjacent fire hydrants flowing simultaneously. |
| Industrial and Commercial | 6,000 to 9,000 gpm from four to six fire hydrants flowing simultaneously. |
| High density Industrial and Commercial (Principal business districts or Centers) |
12,000 gpm available to any block (where local conditions indicate that consideration must be given to simultaneous fires, and additional 2,000 to 8,000 gpm will be required). |
Fire hydrant spacing and
type of hydrant, by type of land development. See Table
507.3.2.
- Every first story dwelling unit, first story guest room, and all first story portions of any commercial or industrial building must be within 300 feet (91 440 mm) of an approved fire hydrant.
- All fire hydrants shall have 2 1/2 inch by 4-inch (64 mm by100 mm) outlets or 4-inch by 4-inch (100 mm by 100 mm) outlets and conform to the minimum standards of the American Water Works Association for wet barrel hydrants. A minimum of one fire hydrant is to be provided at each intersection. "Built-up" type single 2 1/2-inch (64 mm) outlet hydrants [6-inch (1524 mm) pipe surmounted by an angle valve] shall be used in areas having a static water pressure of 210 psi or more.
- Streets with raised median center dividers, excessive traffic loads, or more than 80 feet (24 m) in dedicated width require the installation of hydrants on both sides of the street. Additional intermediate hydrants are required in areas where restricted access, depth of lots, or blocks exceeding the maximum hydrant spacing intervals exist.
| TYPE OF LAND DEVELOPMENT |
NET LAND AREA SERVED PER HYDRANT (sq. ft.) |
DISTANCE BETWEEN HYDRANTS ON ROADS AND FIRE LANES (ft.) |
TYPE OF HYDRANT |
| Low density Residential |
150,000 | 600 | 2 1/2" × 4" Double fire hydrant |
| High density Residential and Neighborhood Commercial |
100,000 | 300—450 | 2 1/2" × 4" Double fire hydrant |
| Industrial and Commercial |
80,000a | 300 | 2 1/2" × 4" Double Fire Hydrant or 4" x 4" Double Fire Hydrant |
| High density Industrial and Commercial |
40,000 | 300 | 4" × 4" Double Fire Hydrant |
- This figure will be systematically reduced where greater fire-flow is required due to restricted access, depth of lots, length of blocks or additional hazards.
Land use and required fire flow. See
Table 507.3.3.
| LAND USEa | REQUIRED FIRE FLOW (gpm) |
MAXIMUM RESPONSE DISTANCEb |
|
| ENGINE CO. | TRUCK CO. | ||
| Low density Residential |
2,000 gpm from three adjacent fire hydrants flowing simultaneously. |
1 1/2 miles | 2 mile |
| High density Residential and Neighborhood Commercial |
4,000 gpm from four adjacent fire hydrants flowing simultaneously. |
1 1/2 miles | 2 mile |
| Industrial and Commercial |
6,000 to 9,000 from four to six fire hydrants flowing simultaneously. |
1 mile | 1 1/2 miles |
| High density Industrial and Commercial (Principal business districts or Centers) |
12,000 available to any block (where local conditions indicate that consideration must be given to simultaneous fires, additional 2,000 to 8,000 will be required). |
3/4 mile | 1 mile |
- Land use designations are contained in the community plan elements of the General Plan for the City of Los Angeles.
- The maximum response distances for both LAFD fire suppression companies (engine and truck) must be satisfied.
The fire code official shall be notified prior to the water supply test. Water supply tests shall be witnessed by the fire code official or approved documentation of the test shall be provided to the fire code official prior to final approval of the water supply system.
Where a portion of the facility or building hereafter constructed or moved into or within the jurisdiction is more than 400 feet (122 m) from a hydrant on a fire apparatus access road, as measured by an approved route around the exterior of the facility or building, on-site fire hydrants and mains shall be provided where required by the fire code official.
Exception: For Group R-3 and Group U occupancies, equiped throughout with an approved automatic sprinkler system installed in accordance with Section 903.3.1.1, 903.3.1.2 or 903.3.1.3, the distance requirement shall be not more than 600 feet (183 m).
Buildings equipped with a standpipe system installed in accordance with Section 905 shall have a fire hydrant within 100 feet (30 480 mm) of the fire department connections.
Exception: The distance shall be permitted to exceed 100 feet (30 480 mm) where approved by the fire code official.
Fire hydrant systems shall be subject to periodic tests as required by the fire code official. Fire hydrant systems shall be maintained in an operative condition at all times and shall be repaired where defective. Additions, repairs, alterations and servicing shall comply with approved standards. Records of tests and required maintenance shall be maintained.
Private fire service mains and water tanks shall be periodically inspected, tested and maintained in accordance with California Code of Regulations, Title 19, Division 1, Chapter 5.
Records of inspections, testing and maintenance shall be maintained.
Unobstructed access to fire hydrants shall be maintained at all times. The fire department shall not be deterred or hindered from gaining immediate access to fire protection equipment or fire hydrants.
No person shall erect, construct, maintain, or build, or
cause to be erected, constructed, or built, any structure,
screen, or fence in such a location as to prohibit or
restrict the ready operation and use of any fire hydrant,
fire department connection to sprinkler system, exterior
or combination standpipe system, or other installed fire
protection equipment, nor plant or allow the growth of
any vegetation which will hide or obscure said installed
fire protection equipment.
No person shall
park or place any vehicle or other mobile equipment in
such a manner or position which would hinder or
restrict the immediate and complete use, by the Department,
of any fire hydrant, Fire Department connection
to a sprinkler system, exterior or combination standpipe
system, or any other fire protection equipment which is
installed for Fire Department use.
Violation of
Sections 507.5.4.1 through 507.5.4.2 shall be subject to
penalties and minimum fines as prescribed in Section
109.4.2 and Table 109.4.
A 3-foot (914 mm) clear space shall be maintained around the circumference of fire hydrants, except as otherwise required or approved.
Where fire hydrants are subject to impact by a motor vehicle, guard posts or other approved means shall comply with Section 312.
The Department
shall have the authority to identify any fire hydrant by
installing a blue reflector on the street or access road adjacent
to the hydrant.