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Western
States Fire Protection installed a wet pipe fire sprinkler
system and stand pipes in the USS Lexington in Corpus
Christi, Texas. The project took 120 days to complete
and over 400 fire sprinkler heads were installed.
The USS Lexington, a World War II-vintage aircraft carrier, was commissioned
in 1943 and set more records than any other carrier in the history of naval aviation.
The ship participated in nearly every major operation in the Pacific Theater
and spent a total of 21 months in combat. The ship's planes destroyed 372 enemy
aircraft in the air and 475 more on the ground. The ship sank or destroyed 300,000
tons of enemy cargo and damaged an additional 600,000 tons. The ship's guns shot
down 15 planes and assisted in downing five more.
In 1992, the USS Lexington was officially retired and signed over to the city
of Corpus Christi to serve as a museum to preserve, for the enjoyment and education
of future generations, the nation's longest serving and most historically significant
aircraft carrier. |
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In
the above picture is a silver colored stand pipe
on the exterior of the ship. There are hose pipes
attached to the standpipe in the event there is a
fire on the outside of the ship.
In order to run the fire sprinkler pipes, holes had to be cut in the steel walls
throughout the USS Lexington. Due to the historical significance of the ship
Western States Fire Protection had to coordinate with museum staff the location
of each cut. |
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Backflow
Preventer |
8
Inch Water Supply Pipe |
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| A
backflow preventer is a double check valve assembly
that uses a reduced pressure principle to prevent
the backflow of polluted water into the water supply.
Often times chemical additives, such as anti-freeze,
are in the fire sprinkler system. |
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The
Walkway is 75 Feet Above the Water |
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Control
Valves |
Stand
Pipe |
|
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Fire
Sprinklers Protecting the Hangar Deck Where Planes
are Stored in Rough Weather |
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Western
States Fire Protection is proud to have played a role
in making the USS Lexington a safer place to visit.
It is a valuable national treasure that played a significant
role in the nation's defense for nearly 50 years and
is a memorial worth preserving to help us remember
the heroism and sacrifice of those who have served
their nation.
Parts of this headline rely on extracts from www.usslexington.com which
are reproduced here by permission of The USS LEXINGTON Museum on the Bay. Click here to
learn more about the Scout Live Aboard Program which includes a theater, an evening
tour of the ship, three meals served Navy style and a stay in actual crew quarters.
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