Firefighter Air Replenishment Systems (FARS)

The Firefighter Air Coalition advocates for techniques and technologies that improve air management in the fire service and help ensure the health and safety of firefighters.

Our top priority is the adoption of codes requiring firefighter air replenishment systems (FARS). We believe these life-saving systems significantly reduce the risk of exposure to the deadly effects of fire smoke and should be required in all new construction where the delivery of replacement air bottles presents significant logistical challenges.

FARS are a standpipe for air. 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. The system is designed to allow firefighters to refill their air bottles in 2 minutes or less under full respiration at fill stations located throughout the interior of a building.

Applications for FARS include mid- and high-rise structures, big box-style buildings, and tunnels. Cities in 21 states and Canada now require FARS.

We have successfully supported fire departments across the county in their efforts to add a FARS requirement to their local fire code. We offer education and training on the code adoption process, FARS system configuration and operation, applicable structures, peer resources, and more.

If you would like to schedule a presentation on FARS for your department, click here.

Below is a selection of educational videos, articles, and white papers on FARS. We also offer a code adoption guide to help you through your code adoption process.