r/Firefighting • u/Wumaduce • 17h ago

Photos Cambridge, MA - What are these signs?

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What do the circled signs mean? I know FDC is the fire department connection. The sign under that is max pump in pressure.

Someone said it means you guys aren't supposed to enter the building to fight a fire. If that's the case, doesn't it completely defeat the purpose of the FDC and standpipe being live?

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u/Firedogman22 17h ago

Red X in Massachusetts means building is condemned, usually occupation inside is prohibited if its redxed unless their doing construction

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u/Wumaduce 17h ago

It's a historic building that's under construction. They has entire floors cut out earlier in the project. At this stage in the game, sprinklers are live in multiple parts of the building. If sprinks are live, that means you guys are responding and have to enter the building as far as I know?

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u/Ok_Buddy_9087 Edit to create your own flair 17h ago

Far as I know the sprinklers being live changes nothing. The marking system is a result of the Worcester Cold Storage fire that killed six WFD members. One slash means entry can be considered but should basically be done for a known life threat only. X is “just don’t”.

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u/Firedogman22 17h ago

Im not from cambridge but im experienced with mass in general, even if theres live sprinklers, red X usually means no entry unless to save a a life

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u/SmokeEater1375 Northeast - FF/P , career and call/vol 12h ago

Nobody has really answered your question but just because we’re not entering the building doesn’t mean we just let the place burn down. Frankly, since we’re not entering the building, it’s good that the sprinklers are live. They can supplement the system from that connection (if it’s a sprinkler connection) and hope that puts the fire out.

Some FDCs are for standpipes. Some FDCs are for sprinklers. Sometimes they do both.

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u/Excellent_Idea43 1h ago

there are usually no hard and fast rules on the specific actions you have to take, because every fire is different. there are always extenuating circumstances that might change our response. yes, we have to respond and attack the fire. that usually involves going inside the building, but if we get there and realize someone placed dynamite in the building (extreme example, but it's just to make a point), we are going to retreat to a safe spot and not fight that fire.

in this particular example, it could be the signs were placed at different points in time--maybe the fdc was place when the building was in good condition then it was condemned and they placed the big red x sign. or, it could be two different parts of the fire code in effect. buildings under construction and demolition are required to have active standpipes quite often, hence the fdc signs. and then if the building is not safe for entry, the big red x sign is required. might be an overlapping part of the code.

back to what we "have" to do--we have to make a sincere attempt to protect life, but we dont have to commit suicide. if we got to this building and there is a significant fire with no indication that life is threatened inside, we'd likely not enter. maybe we'd poke our heads inside and do a quick search, maybe we wont. it really all depends on the conditions the responding companies find when they get there. there are typically no hard and fast rules on specific actions we have to take, like "you have to enter the building at every fire no matter what"