Location selection and equipment configuration standards for hotel fire control rooms

Location selection and equipment configuration standards for hotel fire control rooms

I am fire protection expert Alexander Li. The fire control room is the "central nervous system" of a hotel's fire emergency response; its location selection and equipment configuration directly affect system reliability, evacuation efficiency, and fire rescue efficiency. In accordance with GB 50016-2014 (2018 Edition) and GB 25506-2010, the control room must meet core requirements such as safety, convenience, and independence. The following analysis is presented from the perspective of engineering practice.

Location Selection Criteria

• According to Article 8.1.7 of GB 50016, the fire control room should be located on the first floor or basement level 1 of the building and must be separated from other areas by fire partitions with a fire resistance rating of not less than 2.00h and floor slabs of 1.50h, and must be provided with a safety exit leading directly outdoors.
• Practical case: A five-star hotel once located its control room on basement level 1, but because no independent evacuation door was provided, smoke intrusion during a fire prevented duty personnel from operating the system. A fire door leading directly outdoors was later added in accordance with the code, along with a positive-pressure air supply system.
• Key point: The control room should not be close to high-risk areas such as boiler rooms or transformer and distribution rooms, to avoid the effects of explosion or high temperature.

• The control room should be close to the hotel's main entrance or fire access lane to facilitate rapid access by firefighters. Article 3.4.1 of GB 50116-2013 requires that a conspicuous sign be provided at the control room entrance.
• Engineering experience: A resort hotel had its control room on the second floor, causing fire trucks to detour via stairs after arrival and delaying response time. It was later relocated to the first floor adjacent to the fire access lane, and an outdoor indicator light was added.

• The internal environment of the control room must meet Article 3.4.3 of GB 50116: temperature 16-28℃, humidity ≤70%, and standby lighting and emergency power must be provided.
• Case: A hotel control room was close to a kitchen exhaust outlet, and high temperatures caused false alarms; the issue was later resolved by adding thermal insulation and an independent air-conditioning system.

Equipment Configuration Criteria

• Fire alarm control panel: Must comply with GB 4717-2005, have multi-loop and linkage control functions, and be equipped with a graphic display device (CRT) to display fire alarm locations in real time.
• Linkage control cabinet: Includes remote start/stop buttons for equipment such as fire pumps, smoke control and exhaust fans, and fire shutters, with reference to Article 4.2.3 of GB 50116.
• Emergency broadcasting and telephone: According to Article 5.2.2 of GB 25506, a dedicated fire telephone switchboard and public address system must be provided to ensure reliable communication with each floor and the fire pump room.

• The main power supply shall use dual-circuit power supply, and a UPS uninterruptible power supply (duration ≥3 hours) shall be provided, with reference to Article 3.5.2 of GB 50116.
• Practical case: Due to aging UPS batteries at a hotel, the control room became inoperable after a power outage; the batteries were later replaced with sealed lead-acid batteries and monthly inspections were implemented.

• Provide fire extinguishers (e.g., 2 dry powder extinguishers, ≥4kg each), emergency lighting, and evacuation indication diagrams.
• According to GB 25201-2010, the control room must keep fire protection system drawings, maintenance records, and emergency response plans.

Concluding Summary

The above are reference opinions. The actual project conditions still need to be further comprehensively evaluated and implemented in combination with specific operating conditions, site conditions, and other factors.