Standpipe Systems Maintenance

Course Code: SSM

In this course you will learn all of the topics that you need in order to get the Certificate of Fitness for Standpipe Systems and you will know when they are to be used. The Certificate of Fitness is required by the New York City Fire Department for specified employees of all buildings containing Standpipe Systems in order for them to maintain a standpipe system.

Any building with multi-zone standpipe systems must be continuously under the personal supervision of a person holding an S-14 Certificate of Fitness. This S-14 Certificate of Fitness is valid only at a specific location and for the specific person to whom it is issued.

RESPONSIBILITY OF THE BUILDING OWNER: It shall be the building owner’s responsibility to maintain the standpipe system and to determine the individual qualifications and competencies of the COF holder that performs the functions related to inspection, testing and maintenance of such standpipe system.

The New York City Fire Department requires the following: All multiple dwellings, factories, office buildings, warehouses, stores, offices, theaters, music halls, hospitals, asylums, public schools, other public buildings, churches, other places where large numbers of persons are congregated for purposes of worship, instruction or amusement, and all piers, bulkheads, wharves, pier sheds, bulkhead sheds or other waterfront structures shall provide such fire-hose, fire extinguishers, buckets, axes, fire hooks, fire doors and other means of preventing and extinguishing fires as the commissioner may direct.

The Standpipe system must be regularly inspected by the Certificate of Fitness holder. This is to make sure that the system is working properly at all times. All parts of the standpipe system should be visually checked monthly. This visual inspection should make sure that the system is free from corrosion. The inspection should also make sure that there is no physical damage to the system. Special attention should be paid to any evidence of tampering with the standpipe system. Any part of the system that is damaged or missing should be repaired or replaced immediately.