San Mateo County CA Fire Prevention Tanks
Fire Tanks For Sale in San Mateo County
Corrugated Bolted Steel
Bolted Steel
Welded Steel Tanks
Plastic Water Tanks
How vital are fire protection tanks in San Mateo County?
San Mateo County, CA is part of the San Francisco Bay area, San Francisco-Oakland-Berkeley, CA MSA, and Silicon Valley. As of the 2020 census the population was 764,442. Redwood City is the county seat.
San Mateo County is home to several well-known businesses such as:
- Visa
- Sony Interactive Entertainment
- YouTube
- Menlo Park the hub of venture capital firms
Recently the CZU Lightning Complex fires burned across several areas of the San Mateo and San Cruz counties burning 86,509 acres of vegetation. The cause of this fire was multiple dry lightning strikes. It caused the death of one person and injured one. It also caused the loss of 925 homes and damage to 90 others, destroying three multifamily residences and 171 commercial properties.
This year it seems that there will be no break in fire season as the drought continues. This is why fire protection tanks are so vital in San Mateo County.
Cities in San Mateo County include:
- Belmont
- East Palo Alto
- South San Francisco
- Atherton
- Hillsborough
- Emerald Lake Hills
- Kings Mountain
The county has 22 parks, trails, and historic sites spread throughout the county. There are also 12 state beaches.
What Is a Fire Protection Tank?
A fire protection tank is a water storage tank with a large capacity that is dedicated solely for fire protection to keep structures wet with sprinkler systems and or attachable hoses.
A fire protection tank must be clearly labeled as such and can be used for nothing else.
It also must be compliant with all local, state, and national regulations and codes. The first being it must be an NFPA-22 compliant.
Fire Tanks for both Commercial and Residential
Fire tanks work for both commercial and residential areas. In California, all businesses are required to have fire tanks in their fire protection plan. The tanks must follow all local, state, and national regulations and standards.
Commercial tanks are usually steel bolted tanks as they have a higher capacity of water. That means they can protect more structures and land mass. Residential tanks which will often be poly tanks with lower capacities since there are fewer structures to protect.
Either way, it is good to have a fire protection plan in place. It should include the following:
- Fire protection tanks
- Keeping flammable or combustible materials cleaned up
- Landscaping should be kept moist and dried shrubs and grasses removed
- Prescribed burning of areas that can be approved for it
- Sprinkler systems both interior and exterior systems
Once you determine the size of your water storage tank for fire protection you can then decide on the rest of your fire protection plan.
Water Storage Tanks in San Mateo County
Water storage tanks in San Mateo can be used for a few reasons. Some of those reasons include:
- Fire Protection
- Drinking water
- Irrigation
- Sprinkler systems
- Rainwater harvesting
- Wastewater containment and treatment
- Storm drain containment
- Used for commercial properties to hold ingredients, chemicals, or other dry products
Each of these uses must use tanks that pass all the regulations. The fire protection tank must be clearly labeled as such.
The main difference in the way the tank is used is the liner or coating inside the tank. A tank that holds drinking water will have a different liner or coating from one that holds chemicals.
City, County and State of California Fire Code Requirements for Water Tanks
All tanks in San Mateo County must follow all regulations from local, state, and national regulations. The first is being NFPA-22 compliant. It does not matter if it is commercial or residential there is no getting out of following the regulations.
Code requirements for San Mateo County include:
San Mateo County Permits for building – all new buildings and remodels must meet the new codes for fire protection including building materials like fire retardant dry wall. The fire retardant materials help reduce the risk of total loss and provides time for people to get out if necessary.
San Mateo Residential Sprinkler Systems for Fires – all residential buildings such as apartment buildings must have working sprinkler systems inside and outside. These sprinkler systems reduce death and serious injury to people and total loss of property.
San Mateo County Bureau of Fire Protection – has the mission of safeguard the life, belongings, and natural resources of its residents and visitors.
NFPA-22 Compliant Water Tanks
The NFPA-22 is a standard that covers the design, manufacturing, installation, maintenance, and all valves and connections of the tank. It ensures that all tanks meet the same standard.
If you choose to have connections for your local fire department to attach to, have those put on during the manufacturing. A call to your local fire department will tell you the size of connectors needed to be placed on the tank.
Steel Bolted or Poly Tanks Available for Fire protection in San Mateo County
There are benefits and advantages to both steel bolted and poly tanks.
The steel bolted are larger capacities. The reason so many commercial businesses choose the steel bolted tank. It will reserve enough water to run sprinkler systems. It can also have connections for hoses. Keep the area clean so you get to the tank to connect hoses. Keeping the area clean lessens the chance of fire too.
Commercial businesses tend to have more buildings and land mass to tank care of with sprinklers and hoses than do residential.
Poly tanks have smaller capacities. Used in residential areas they can protect the home or apartment building. It will provide water to the sprinkler systems. They can also have connectors for hoses.
The steel bolted tank will hold as much as 2,868,000 gallons and as little as 4,000 gallons. The poly tank will hold as much as 15,500 gallons and as little as 400 gallons.
San Mateo County with proper fire protection tanks can reduce the destruction and total loss. That is why it is so vital that all commercial and residential areas in the county adopt private fire protection tanks.