# No Sprinklers?



## MillburyAuditorium (Dec 11, 2009)

Well, I was sitting around the theatre the other day and for the first time in 4 years realized that we have no sprinklers in our auditorium. I assumed this was done because the mass amounts of damages that could be done by water more then fire. This normal?
As far as fire suppression systems go in our facility, we have a fire curtain which falls in any circumstance, power out, fire alarm, smoke detector, etc. A roof vent that opens only when a stage smoke detector is set off. And I am assuming this is for fire, but there is a large pipe comming down from the ceiling with a hand wheel knob thing, (forgot name) and a water outlet pointing toward the stage opening. Assumed it was for firefighters.

The fire mashal is always in and out since it is a highschool, hes never mentioned anything. So I let it go.

Normal or no? : )


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## Footer (Dec 11, 2009)

Depends when it was built and last renovated. My theatre was built in 1936 and has no fire curtain, spriklers, or hoses. It does have detectors in the ceiling. It is also state owned therefore some things don't have to be met. 

Odds are your building is old enough to fall into this category. If you guys go through a renovation odds are the sprinklers would go in.


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## shiben (Dec 11, 2009)

Im not a code expert by any means, but I imagine it has to do with the age of your building. At the place I used to work, they only had sprinklers over stage, due to the fact that it had formerlly been pyro-safe, or something like that, then the codes got stricter and it lost its rating. Anyhow, the only reason that it was ok to not have sprinklers is because it was a 40 year old building. They are in the process of rennovating it, and its a huge expense but it has a full fire-supression system being installed right now. I would imagine its a similar situation for your facility.


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## Van (Dec 11, 2009)

To sprinkle or not to sprinkle That is the question. And a lot of times it has to do with the amount of egress in proportion to the house size. it also has to do with other safety concerns such as, Do you have a fire curtain ? and as other have already stated, when the building was constructed, and where you are. 
After the 1920's was one of the busiest times in American Theater Architecture for revisions of safety requirements. The number and frequency of Theater fires had increased dramatically <> during the late 1800's and the death toll from theater fires was alway staggering.


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## MillburyAuditorium (Dec 11, 2009)

Yeah, We have a small somewhat small house. About 350-400 sets, 20 of which are blocked off. Typical two wings and a large center and two walkways in between the two, one in the front. Two exits in front of the stage to the sides, two backstage and two Main Entrances, theirs also a crossover in the back which was ruled not needed as an egress path so a platform was built there. (Before anyone says anything, yes, we have gotten it checked by the FM and it also states it in the room plans.)
I'm not sure when the last renovations were. But I think that the auditorium was built with the school many years ago, but was remolded and a lighting and sound system put it I might say early latish 80s early 90s?
It's a full ColorTran/Leviton system so, yeah lol.


Van, yeah as I said, we have a fircurtain, roof hatch, house connection.


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## Chris15 (Dec 12, 2009)

Down here, I understand requirement to install sprinklers is related to total floor area and rise above ground level (as is the requirement for Voice Alarm evacuation systems etc...


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## venuetech (Dec 12, 2009)

It could be that the need for a sprinkler system would be determined by the local codes. if the local fire code does not require it, the owner/builder/contractor is not likely to spend the dollars on putting one in.

I can recall on a visit to down town Baltimore there was a protest by firemen in front of a brand new 20+ story building that did not have sprinklers.. if it aint in the code. it aint going to happen.

sprinklers are very effective. at one venue i was working at, an arsonist took a box of old programs crumpled them up, put them in a wooden display case in the balcony foyer and lit it off. the fire blew two sprinkler heads but was kept in check by them till the fire department got on scene to put it out. the damage was minimal and repairs quickly made.

next time the fire marshal is in ask him about it.


Are you sure that your fire curtain operates when the power goes out or the fire alarm rings?
I am only aware of the fusible link / manually triggered fire curtains, same goes for the roof smoke hatch.


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## tjrobb (Dec 13, 2009)

Note: This is written for the US, in places under the sole purview of NFPA.

Current codes start at 300 persons for a sprinkler system. When you hit that count, you need sprinklers for new construction and some remodels. At 1000 you run into even more fun, but that is not something I have had to deal with yet. This is dealt with in NFPA publication 13.
The other reason you would find sprinklers, outside of capacity, is an increase in floor area or height of the building (fly towers are normally "ignored" in maximum height requirements), or reduction in fire resistance. With sprinklers you can add 200% to a building's maximum area (see NFPA 5000 or the International Building Code for areas based on construction type), one floor, and/or reduce the fire resistance rating requirements of various building components; note that all three (size, height, and rating) CANNOT be used at the same time. Without starting an essay, let me say it's easier for you to reference the aforementioned documents.

Egress codes are found in NFPA 1, 101, 5000, and the International Building Code; these three codes mostly agree on their requirements. This is where you would get the need for cross aisles, minimum aisle widths, number of exits, number of seats in a row, row to row spacing, and other related items. Note that here again we find relaxed requirements with a sprinklered building.

The random pipe / handle is likely for a deluge system (perhaps abandoned) that was either assisting the main fire curtain in resisting fire or (as in my theatre) was the deluge system for the entire stage. The most likely option is the water-curtain installation, but you may need to trace the pipe (a powerful light can help a lot).

As for remodels requiring changes, this normally happens when >50% of an area in question is rebuilt.


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## KeepOnTruckin (Dec 13, 2009)

I'm thinking the pipe is a standpipe for use by firefighters, to be charged via a pumper truck pumping into the inlet usually located near the room that has the fire pump


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## MillburyAuditorium (Dec 13, 2009)

Hey VenueTech

Yeah, I'm 100% sure it does the things I have described. Is the system supposed to do that? I really don't know but its done the following things since I have been working here.

We have decided that the system is supposed to be fail-safe. Since its a school maybe it has stricter rules. Not to sure.

When power is cut from the auditorium the fire curtain will be released. Yes the control box has a backup battery but it is still set to release the curtain when there is a power failure. Maybe the battery is dead? Again I am not sure but its always done this.

The curtain will also drop when the fire alarm is goes off, be it a test, a pull box, or smoke detector

The roof hatch I assume only opens when a theater smoke detector goes off, I have never seen the hatch open myself. And to tell you the truth, I do not know what system is connected to. There is no control box, test button, etc. Just the spring loaded doors. I might follow the wire someday. The only way to close it is to go up on the roof.


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## tjrobb (Dec 13, 2009)

Per NFPA 72 (Fire Alarm code), yes the curtain NEEDS a battery backup. I forget how long it needs to last, but IIRC the only time a fire system should operate (ie, close the curtain) is during a fire event or system failure (failsafe).

In terms of the smoke vents, I believe they need both mechanical (fusible link, etc.) and electronic (fire alarm) release mechanisms; the mechanical release provides a form of failsafe. They do make motorized closers for the vents, but I don't know if they can be retrofitted.


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## MillburyAuditorium (Dec 15, 2009)

Hmm, I will definitely have the system looked at then. 

Oh I know!
The battery must be dead or nonexistent.
Because when the fire alarm goes off, the power transfer cabinet takes over, shuts down the dimmer rack and brings house and work lights on. So it must take the power away from the fire curtain box, which with no battery, releases. 
And same with a power failure.

I'll see what battery it needs and get it from maintenance.

Heh, maybe now we can have a fire drill without me being called down moments later.
But I do like being called from class to fix something, I always seems to take a long time


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## shiben (Dec 16, 2009)

MillburyAuditorium said:


> Heh, maybe now we can have a fire drill without me being called down moments later.
> But I do like being called from class to fix something, I always seems to take a long time



I hate being called away from class... I always miss things and then fail tests. The only time I leave class for work is when there is a show that opens that day and arrives in the morning, and there is no other time to do it. In those cases, the profs are contacted before and and informed of the situation, and they will send me whatever i missed in class that day. I find class too important to miss...


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## MillburyAuditorium (Dec 16, 2009)

Well for college I would take missing class more seriously. Not that I don't take high school seriously, but its just easier to find out what I missed etc.

My favorite day is when the 6th graders get to come up one day to see a rehearsal a few days before the play. All crew and actors get an excused absence and contrary to what you might think, I go to Dunkin Donuts, and get to the school a bit earlier than school start xD 


I find it funny when the directors order pizza after a final run through. Guy takes like 3 trips for all the boxes, back stage gets two boxes and lights and sound get one.


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