Dedicated Fire Protection System

A major disaster, such as a seismic event, may render the City's conventional fire protection system unusable. The Kobe earthquake, where the city's water system suffered more than 10,000 line breaks, illustrated the frustration of professional firefighters helpless to battle the flames without an effective water supply.

Following the October 1989 San Francisco earthquake, the City of Vancouver reviewed methods of providing an alternative water supply for fire protection. A concept report recommended a high-pressure saltwater pumping station and dedicated distribution system.

The ocean presents an endless supply of water for firefighting in Vancouver, but it had to be tapped. The City has patterned it's Dedicated Fire Protection System (DFPS) on the successful salt water pumping stations and dedicated supply system in San Francisco.

The City of Vancouver's Engineering Services and Fire & Rescue Services departments have developed a $52 million Dedicated Fire Protection System (DFPS). This enhances the City's ongoing emergency preparedness program to strengthen the City's infrastructure, inform residents and train employees to deal with such events. The system offers protection to the downtown peninsula, Kitsilano, and Fairview Slopes .

The first pump station, at False Creek, was opened in September, 1995, the second opened in Coal Harbour in February 1997. The pipeline protecting the Downtown core and the Kitsilano/Fairview neighbourhoods was constructed over the following six years, with the last segment being completed in the summer of 2003.

This system is tested (as photo shows) on a regular basis to ensure it is operational in the event of a disaster.

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