In Case of Fire 2 -- Fire Valves and Fire Escape in San Francisco, California

by Darin Volpe

Title

In Case of Fire 2 -- Fire Valves and Fire Escape in San Francisco, California

Artist

Darin Volpe

Medium

Photograph - Photography

Description

A white building facade with several windows features intricate metal fire escapes, accented by red fire valves. Sunlight casts strong shadows, emphasizing the architectural details and the escape ladder's structure.

As buildings started getting taller, supplying water to to fight fire on the upper floors became increasingly important. Dragging fire hoses up from the street was problematic, as it required firefighters to haul those hoses up stairwells spiraling from floor to floor until they reached the level that was burning. It wasn't just the effort of hauling those hoses; It took time, they were susceptible to getting kinked, water lost pressure due to the length of hose, and were an obstacle in what might be the only way up or down.

Standpipes and fire valves were invented to eliminate the need to run fire hoses up from ground level, and they essentially put one or more fire hydrants on every floor. The valves are usually found inside, but on the Union Square Hotel, they protrude brightly from walls at the fire escapes.

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September 29th, 2024

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