Commercial Building Inspector B2General Administration, Permits, and PlansMedium
A commercial building inspector is reviewing plans for a new 6-story Group B office building with a total floor area of 12,000 square feet per floor. The building is equipped with an automatic sprinkler system throughout. What is the minimum number of fire department connections (FDCs) required for this building?
- AOne FDC
- BTwo FDCs
- CThree FDCs
- DFour FDCs
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: A. One FDC
According to NFPA 13, Section 8.16.2.4.1.1.2, for buildings with a single sprinkler riser, only one FDC is required. The size of the building or number of floors does not automatically increase the number of FDCs if there's only one riser.
Why the other options are wrong
- B. Two FDCs are often required for multiple risers or very large buildings, but not necessarily for this scenario.
- C. Three FDCs would be excessive for a single riser system.
- D. Four FDCs would be excessive for a single riser system.
Fire Department Connection (FDC) Count
The minimum number of fire department connections required for a building's sprinkler system, based on NFPA 13.
- Provides an inlet for fire department to pump water into the sprinkler system.
- Location and number are critical for fire suppression efficiency.
- Typically one per riser, but can vary based on system size and layout.
Memory trick: One riser, one inlet, fire's fight begins.