10 ms·

Local fire Department commented on their facebook page [1] that dust from construction triggered the fire suppression system and not a fire. [1] https://www.fa

Local fire Department commented on their facebook page [1] that dust from construction triggered the fire suppression system and not a fire. [1] https://www.facebook.com/LakeJoFD https://www.facebook.com/LakeJoFD

bitxbitxbitcoin 8y ago
The next worst thing for electronics after fire - water! Or are there non liquid fire suppression systems such as pulling all the oxygen out of a room (if there aren't any people in it)?
- ptr 8y ago
  Yes water isn't typically used in datacenters, halon gas can be used for example. But the noise of the nozzles releasing the gas can actually damage disk drives.
  - xdlachx 8y ago
    yeah, the data center affected apparently had a halon gas suppression system.
  - regecks 8y ago
    There's a nozzle for that :) - http://www.fire-protection.com.au/news/hush-nozzle http://www.fire-protection.com.au/news/hush-nozzle From what I understand, using water/dry pipe isn't unheard of. Some prefer it over Halon - https://blog.equinix.com/blog/2014/03/26/we-must-protect-this-house-against-disaster/ https://blog.equinix.com/blog/2014/03/26/we-must-protect-thi... .
    - SketchySeaBeast 8y ago
      > We think water is superior to using the firefighting chemical compound Halon, because water Is less damaging to technology and Halon can destroy circuit cards. Did not know Halon could destroy circuit cards. Apparently it also damages the Ozone.
      - saagarjha 8y ago
        Yeah, some of them are literally CFCs.
- reaperducer 8y ago
  are there non liquid fire suppression systems such as pulling all the oxygen out of a room Yes. One place I worked (not a tech company, but with tons of electronics), when the fire alarms went off we had xx seconds (I don't remember the number) to get out of the building before something called Intergen was vented into the room to somehow suck all of the oxygen out, and if we were still inside we'd be dead. It must be pretty serious stuff, because we'd have evacuation drills twice a year.
  - deleted 8y ago
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  - saagarjha 8y ago
    This page suggests that Inergen (unless there is a thing called Intergen that I'm confusing it with?) mixes with air to lower the oxygen content, but still remain breathable: http://www.tyco.no/products/Gaseous-Fire-Suppression/inergen-overview http://www.tyco.no/products/Gaseous-Fire-Suppression/inergen...
    - CydeWeys 8y ago
      It's definitely not good to breathe in though, so you can still see why, for liability reasons, the company would want all employees to evacuate if it's going to be deployed, and leave it to firefighters with SCBA equipment.
    - arkades 8y ago
      The resultant 12% oxygen is 60% of normal atmospheric air. It's still breathable, if you're an average healthy person with healthy cardiac and pulmonary function, sitting at rest - but it's not healthy, it's enough that you're going to start seeing systemic responses. The reduction in partial pressure of oxygen being sucked into the lungs will also cause an increase in the partial pressure of carbon dioxide and inert gases. I think the concern likely comes from: -Folks that are of poor cardiac function are going to be evacuating, meaning increased cardiac demand under stress, while being somewhat oxygen-starved. This could tip some folks into an acute episode that otherwise wouldn't. -Folks that are of poor oxygen function, who are borderline hypoxemic to begin with. Think folks with chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder: about 5% of your employees aged 55-65 will have it. You won't suddenly kill a building full of people. I'm guessing the evacuation rush is to make sure they're not liable for unnecessarily sending a couple to the hospital.
- yread 8y ago
  Halon is also not great - it can damage disks (360 psi) and even if it doesn't it voids the warranty on everything so you'll be getting new hardware
- shagie 8y ago
  Ahh... The VAX war. http://bogpeople.com/funny/content/vaxwarstory.html http://bogpeople.com/funny/content/vaxwarstory.html > VAXen, my children, just don't belong some places. Suffice to say... yes. There are fire suppression systems that will pull oxygen out of the room. People are advised to leave the room before the fire suppression system takes effect.
  - james_s_tayler 8y ago
    People are also advised to leave the room before the fire takes effect.

bitxbitxbitcoin 8y ago

The next worst thing for electronics after fire - water! Or are there non liquid fire suppression systems such as pulling all the oxygen out of a room (if there aren't any people in it)?

ptr 8y ago
Yes water isn't typically used in datacenters, halon gas can be used for example. But the noise of the nozzles releasing the gas can actually damage disk drives.
- xdlachx 8y ago
  yeah, the data center affected apparently had a halon gas suppression system.
- regecks 8y ago
  There's a nozzle for that :) - http://www.fire-protection.com.au/news/hush-nozzle http://www.fire-protection.com.au/news/hush-nozzle From what I understand, using water/dry pipe isn't unheard of. Some prefer it over Halon - https://blog.equinix.com/blog/2014/03/26/we-must-protect-this-house-against-disaster/ https://blog.equinix.com/blog/2014/03/26/we-must-protect-thi... .
  - SketchySeaBeast 8y ago
    > We think water is superior to using the firefighting chemical compound Halon, because water Is less damaging to technology and Halon can destroy circuit cards. Did not know Halon could destroy circuit cards. Apparently it also damages the Ozone.
    - saagarjha 8y ago
      Yeah, some of them are literally CFCs.
reaperducer 8y ago
are there non liquid fire suppression systems such as pulling all the oxygen out of a room Yes. One place I worked (not a tech company, but with tons of electronics), when the fire alarms went off we had xx seconds (I don't remember the number) to get out of the building before something called Intergen was vented into the room to somehow suck all of the oxygen out, and if we were still inside we'd be dead. It must be pretty serious stuff, because we'd have evacuation drills twice a year.
- deleted 8y ago
  [deleted]
- deleted 8y ago
  [deleted]
- deleted 8y ago
  [deleted]
- saagarjha 8y ago
  This page suggests that Inergen (unless there is a thing called Intergen that I'm confusing it with?) mixes with air to lower the oxygen content, but still remain breathable: http://www.tyco.no/products/Gaseous-Fire-Suppression/inergen-overview http://www.tyco.no/products/Gaseous-Fire-Suppression/inergen...
  - CydeWeys 8y ago
    It's definitely not good to breathe in though, so you can still see why, for liability reasons, the company would want all employees to evacuate if it's going to be deployed, and leave it to firefighters with SCBA equipment.
  - arkades 8y ago
    The resultant 12% oxygen is 60% of normal atmospheric air. It's still breathable, if you're an average healthy person with healthy cardiac and pulmonary function, sitting at rest - but it's not healthy, it's enough that you're going to start seeing systemic responses. The reduction in partial pressure of oxygen being sucked into the lungs will also cause an increase in the partial pressure of carbon dioxide and inert gases. I think the concern likely comes from: -Folks that are of poor cardiac function are going to be evacuating, meaning increased cardiac demand under stress, while being somewhat oxygen-starved. This could tip some folks into an acute episode that otherwise wouldn't. -Folks that are of poor oxygen function, who are borderline hypoxemic to begin with. Think folks with chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder: about 5% of your employees aged 55-65 will have it. You won't suddenly kill a building full of people. I'm guessing the evacuation rush is to make sure they're not liable for unnecessarily sending a couple to the hospital.
yread 8y ago
Halon is also not great - it can damage disks (360 psi) and even if it doesn't it voids the warranty on everything so you'll be getting new hardware
shagie 8y ago
Ahh... The VAX war. http://bogpeople.com/funny/content/vaxwarstory.html http://bogpeople.com/funny/content/vaxwarstory.html > VAXen, my children, just don't belong some places. Suffice to say... yes. There are fire suppression systems that will pull oxygen out of the room. People are advised to leave the room before the fire suppression system takes effect.
- james_s_tayler 8y ago
  People are also advised to leave the room before the fire takes effect.