FARS Installation & Maintenance Contractors
"Integration of the system into the building was quite easy. It was just a matter of working with the fire department and the City of Meridian. We think the integration is going to be very easy for future projects we bring in."
Matthew Laase
Principal
Jackson Main Architecture
Technology
A Firefighter Air Replenishment System (FARS) is a building-installed piping and distribution systems that delivers breathing air to firefighters inside large structures. Just as water standpipes replaced hand buckets as a delivery system for water, FARS replaces the slow, labor-intensive process of hand-delivering replacement air bottles to firefighters during a fire. The system is designed to allow firefighters to refill their air bottles in as quickly as 2 minutes or less under full respiration at fill stations located throughout the interior of a building.
Code Adoption & Implementation
FARS codes are currently adopted in over 249 jurisdictions across 25 US states, with more being added every year. The FAC is here to both help with the code adoption and implementation process. We provide a Code Guide and other tools to help simplify the process, as well as direct advocate support. Additionally, we keep an up-to-date Code Tracker Map of all jurisdictions with FARS code adoptions.
Licensing Requirements, Installer Qualifications & Certifications
Plans, specifications, equipment and product data sheets, and system engineered calculations for FARS must be reviewed and stamped by an engineer licensed in the state of the jurisdiction adopting the code. The engineer should be knowledgeable in high pressure breathing air replenishment systems, and able to demonstrate previous experience with such systems.
The system should be installed by a licensed fire protection contractor experienced in the installation of fire department high pressure breathing air systems. The installation contractor should be registered as a contractor with the state and any other appropriate jurisdiction required by code and hold all appropriate licenses and certifications.
NFPA fire codes states that no Certificate of Compliance shall be issued until all approved plans and specifications have been tested, certified, and approved to be in proper working condition to the satisfaction of the local fire department.
System Lifecycle Management
NFPA Annex D dictates Inspection, Testing and Maintenance Requirements for FARS. Inspection includes a visual examination of the system and its components as specified in the code. Local codes also require periodic testing for air pressure and quality (typically quarterly).