Delaware Administrative Code
Title 1 - Authorities, Boards and Commissions
700 - Delaware State Fire Prevention Commission
703 - Installation, Operation, Maintenance, Testing and Sales of Signaling Systems, Fire Protection Systems and Fire Extinguishers
Chapter 1 - Operation, Maintenance, and Testing of Fire Protection Systems
Section 703-1-2.0 - Definitions

2.1 These definitions shall be used for the purpose of defining terms only for this Chapter.

"Automatic Detecting Device". A device which automatically detects heat, smoke, or other products of combustion.

"Automatic Fire Alarm System". A fire alarm system containing automatic detecting device(s) which actuates a fire alarm signal.

"Automatic Fixed Fire Suppression System". An engineered system using carbon dioxide (CO2), dry chemical, wet chemical, foam, clean agent, a halogenated extinguishing agent, or water spray system to automatically detect and suppress a fire through fixed piping and nozzles.

"Automatic Sprinkler System". For fire protection purposes, an integrated system of underground and overhead piping designed in accordance with fire protection engineering standards. The installation includes one or more automatic water supplies. The portion of the system aboveground is a network of specially sized or hydraulically designed piping installed in a building, structure or area, generally overhead, and to which sprinklers are attached in a systematic pattern. The valve controlling each system riser is located in the system riser or its supply piping. Each sprinkler system riser includes a device for actuating an alarm when the system is in operation. The system is usually activated by heat from a fire and discharges water over the fire area.

"Automatic Water Supply". Water supplied through a gravity or pressure tank or automatically operated fire pumps, or from a direct connection to an approved municipal water main.

"Carbon Dioxide (CO2)". A colorless, odorless, electrically nonconductive inert gas.

"Carbon Dioxide Extinguishing System (CO2)". A system to supply carbon dioxide (CO2) from a pressurized vessel through fixed pipes and nozzles. The system may include an automatic detection and actuating mechanism.

"Central Station System". A system or group of systems, the operations of which are signaled to, recorded in, maintained and supervised from an approved central station, in which there are competent and experienced observers and operators in attendance at all times whose duty it shall be, upon receipt of a signal, to take such action as shall be required under the rules established for their guidance. Such systems shall be controlled and operated by a person, firm or corporation whose principal business is the furnishing and maintaining of supervised protection signaling service and who does not have interest in the protected properties.

"Clean Agent". Electrically nonconducting, volatile or gaseous fire extinguishant that does not leave a residue upon evaporation.

"Cooking Appliances". All ranges, ovens, food boilers, upright broilers, charcoal broilers, char broilers, griddles, deep fat fryers, or similar appliances used to heat, cook, or process food for human or animal consumption.

"Detector, Smoke". An approved, listed detector for sensing visible or invisible products of combustion.

"Dry Chemical". A powder composed of small particles, usually of sodium bicarbonate, potassium bicarbonate, potassium bicarbonate/urea or ammonium phosphate, with added particulate material supplemented by special treatment to prevent caking and provide flowability.

"Dry Chemical Extinguishing System". A system consisting of dry chemical and expellant gas storage tanks, fixed piping, and nozzles used to assure proper distribution of an approved extinguishing agent on a specific fire hazard or into a potential fire area. The system may include an automatic detection and actuating mechanism.

"Dry Pipe System". As applied to water, fire suppression systems shall mean a system of piping which is filled with air under pressure and a permanent water supply is controlled by an approved automatic dry pipe valve which releases the water supply by the release of air in the event of fire.

"Dry System". As applied to water, fire suppression systems shall mean a system without permanent or automatic water supply but equipped with a fire department connection.

"Engineered System". A functional unit requiring individual calculation and design to determine the flow rates, nozzle pressures, quantities of extinguishing agent and the number and types of nozzles and their placement for the protection of a specific hazard.

"Fire Protection System". A system including systems, devices and equipment to detect a fire, actuate an alarm or suppress fire or any combination thereof.

"Fire Suppression System". A mechanical system designed and equipped to detect a fire, actuate an alarm and to suppress a fire.

"Foam Extinguishing System". A special system to discharge a foam made from concentrates, either mechanically or chemically, over the area to be protected.

"Grease Consuming Appliances or Fume Incinerator". Devices intended for placement over restaurant type cooking equipment in the exhaust duct and through which all exhaust vapors or smoke must pass. Grease and other particulate matter from cooking fumes and exhaust are removed by open flames.

"Grease Extractor". A device intended for the removal of smoke and grease laden particles from exhaust fumes or vapors created by cooking operations. A grease extractor device normally consists of a hood, a grease collection device, a wash system, means to detect excessive temperature of the exhaust gases which activates a device to prevent flame and excessively hot gases from entering the exhaust duct, and associated electrical controls.

"Halogenated Extinguishing Agents". A halogenated compound is one which contains one or more atoms of an element from the halogen chemical series: fluorine, chlorine, bromine and iodine. Halogenated extinguishing compounds shall be restricted to the following:

Halon 1211, bromochlorodifluoro¬methane, CBrC1F2; or

Halon 1301, bromotrifluoromethane, CBrF3.

"Halogenated Extinguishing System". A system of pipes, nozzles and an actuating mechanism and a container of halogenated agent under pressure.

"Inspection". A visual examination of a fire protection system, or a portion thereof, to verify that it appears to be in operating condition and is free from physical damage.

"Inspection, Testing, and Maintenance Service". A service program provided by a qualified contractor or owner's representative in which all components unique to the property's systems are inspected and tested at the required times and necessary maintenance is provided. This program includes the logging and retention of relevant records. It is permissible under this definition to replace, in kind, individual parts or devices when, for any reason, they become undependable or inoperative.

"Local Alarm System". A local system sounding an alarm as the result of the manual operation of a fire alarm box or the operation of protection equipment or systems, such as water flowing in a sprinkler system, the discharge of carbon dioxide, the detection of smoke or the detection of heat.

"Maintenance". Repair service including periodically recurrent inspections and tests, required to keep fire protection systems and their component parts in an operative condition at all times. It is permissible under this definition to replace, in kind, individual parts or devices when, for any reason, they become undependable or inoperative.

"Major Deficiency". A deficiency noted during an inspection or test of a fire protection system which, if not corrected, will prevent the system from operating or, if not corrected, will result in the system operating in an adverse manner to such consequence as to result in a catastrophic outcome.

"Riser". The vertical supply pipes in a sprinkler system or standpipe system.

"Testing". A procedure to determine the status of a system as intended by conducting periodic physical checks on the fire protection system. These test follow up on the original acceptance tests at intervals specified in the National Fire Protection Association's National Fire Codes, as adopted and/or modified by these Regulations.

"Waterflow Alarm". An alarm activated by waterflow from a sprinkler system.

"Wet System". As applied to water, fire suppression systems shall mean a system which is filled with water and connected to a permanent water supply under pressure so that water is discharged immediately from sprinklers opened by a fire or from open hose outlet valves.