Restaurant System Fire/Insurance Inspector's Checklist

1. Ask, "When the service technician performed the inspection, did he climb up into the hood area behind the filters?" It is necessary to look behind the filters to change links and check nozzles.

2. Ask, "Were you cooking at the time of the inspection?" To properly inspect a kitchen hood system, the equipment must be off and the fuel shutoff tested. Most systems are inspected before or after normal cooking hours.

3. Check the service date on the system tag. Systems must be inspected every six months. Tag is punched with the inspection date and expires six months later.

4. Check the tag carefully and see if any information on the status of compliance of the system is indicated. Many tags have a place for inspected, but not in compliance. The tag may also indicate if system is either a wet or dry chemical.

5. Look at the overall condition of the system. Do all appliances requiring protection have a nozzle(s) over or in them? If not, system may need upgrading.

6. Review Certificate of Inspection from the company that performed the last inspection. All customers must have this available and it should indicate any deficiencies, if any.

7. If you have any doubt as to the status of the system, call the service company who last performed the service. All service companies are required to maintain a service file on each customer.

Industrial Systems

Industrial Systems are commonly installed for the protection of paint spray booths, dip tanks, pumps, and other industrial equipment. Most systems of this type feature either Purple-K dry chemical, ABC dry chemical, or regular dry chemical.

Industrial systems are often combined with different kinds of fire detection--heat detectors, optical flame detectors, or smoke detectors.

NFPA 2001 Update

If you have any questions concerning NFPA 2001, please e-mail Steve Waters, NAFED's representative on this committee. He can be reached at boz@fireline.com.

Fire Suppression Systems

Fire Suppression with Gaseous Clean Agents

Fireline specializes in Engineered Fire Suppression systems utilizing clean agents such as CO2, FM-200, Inergen FE-13, and Water Mist. Our in house engineering department has been factory trained to design and install all of the above systems.

When Halon 1301 production ceased on January 1, 1994, Fireline was already selling the new, environmentally safe replacement agents FM-200 and Inergen. These agents are approved for occupied areas by the EPA and NFPA 2001. Fireline's President, Stephen Waters, is a member of the NFPA 2001 Alternative Gaseous Agents committee and as such, Fireline has always been on the cutting edge of this technology.

Need a quick estimate on a gaseous agent system? Try our Fire Suppression Systems Calculator.

System Locator

• FM 200 fire protection systems
• Inergen fire protection systems
• Carbon Dioxide (CO2) fire protection systems
• FE-13 fire protection systems
• Kitchen fire protection systems
• Industrial dry chemical fire protection systems
• NFPA 2001 Update
• Latest EPA Ruling on Halon 1301

FM-200 Fire Suppression Systems

FM-200 is one of the new halon alternative agents now in use to protect essential applications traditionally protected by Halon 1301. This agent has many similar characteristics to Halon 1301 and is safe in normally occupied areas.

Fireline has been selling FM-200 since its inception in 1993 and today we are installing Fenwal FM-200 systems throughout Maryland, DC, Virginia, West Virginia and several other states. Fenwal's FM-200 systems are available in spheres or cylinders and can be designed as pre-engineered or more commonly, as engineered systems.

For more information on FM-200 systems, consult our FM200 page.

Inergen Fire Suppression Systems

Inergen is another new alternative agents replacing traditional Halon 1301 areas. Inergen is a high pressure agent and is stored in cylinders similar to Carbon Dioxide. This agent is comprised of three naturally occurring gases - Nitrogen, Argon and Carbon Dioxide.

Fireline installs Inergen systems manufactured by Ansul. The system is laid out with a central bank of cylinders manifolded together and the agent is dispersed through a pressure reducer and a piping system.

For more information on Inergen systems, consult our Inergen page.

Carbon Dioxide Fire Suppression Systems

Clean agent carbon dioxide systems, have been an industry standard for many decades and are still the preferred agent in many applications. There are several common local application systems which are utilized to extinguish fires in dip tanks, quench tanks and industrial operations where spilled fuel is a possibility. Local application systems are also popular in the marine market, especially in engine compartments. Low pressure total flood systems are prevalent in steel manufacturing, press operations and other areas requiring large quantities of extinguishing agent.

FE-13 Fire Suppression Systems

FE-13, the newest of the clean agents to emerge from NFPA 2001, is one of the safest clean agents now available.

FE-13, DuPont's entry into the field, is UL listed and systems are currently available from Fireline and Kidde-Fenwal.

FE-13 (trifluromethane) is the safest of the three most commonly used clean agents (FE-13, FM-200 and Inergen). Systems are typically designed at 16-21% concentrations but FE-13 has no exposure restrictions until concentrations reach 30% or higher. The ability to design at higher than required concentrations makes FE-13 an ideal agent for occupied areas where very rapid extinguishment is desired.

Two other characteristics make this a unique agent that should be seriously considered for your clean agent requirements. First, nozzles can be located at heights of up to 25 feet as compared to only 12 feet for FM-200 systems. Second, due to its low boiling point, FE-13 can be used in temperatures as low as 40° F.

As with other clean agents, FE-13 can be used in any area with high valued electronics such as computer facilities, battery rooms and telecommunications facilities. It also has many industrial applications including unheated storage areas.All About Water Mist Systems will provide additional details.