Accreditation

Greeley Reflections

Accreditation Connection, October 15, 2010

Required Life Safety surveys

Part 6 of 7

Fire pump system

The fire pump (if you have one) is required to be tested weekly, and annually. The weekly test is to begin by reducing the water pressure on the pressure switch, and operating the fire pump at no-flow for at least 10 minutes if it is electric driven, and 30 minutes if it is engine driven. The water inlet and outlet pressures need to be recorded.

The annual test begins with a 30 minute churn test, at no-flow. Then water needs to be flowed (usually onto a street or parking lot) to achieve 100% of the name-plate capacity of the pump, as measured in gallons per minute (GPM). Once that is achieved and recorded, then the flow is increased to achieve 150% of the name-plate capacity, and again these readings need to be recorded. If the pump is electric driven, then a transfer to emergency power is required, and further readings need to be recorded to ensure 150% capacity is still achieved.

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