A national reference system defines the principles for the design and organisation of external fire defence and the general provisions relating to the siting and use of fire water points.
It deals in particular with:
1° The various procedures for the creation, development, management and accessibility of identified fire water points;
2° The technical characteristics of fire water points and the procedures for signalling them;
3° The conditions for commissioning and maintaining these fire water points in operational condition;
4° The purpose of technical inspections, maintenance actions and operational reconnaissance ;
5° The procedures for exchanging information between the departmental fire and rescue services and the public water services;
6° Information relating to fire water points giving rise to a census and processing at departmental level and the procedures for communicating this to the mayors or presidents of public establishments for inter-communal cooperation with their own tax status when they are competent.
These guidelines may present different technical solutions for each of these areas. It does not include any requirements for operators of facilities classified for environmental protection under articles L. 511-1 and L. 511-2 of the Environment Code.
It is issued by order of the ministers responsible for civil protection, local authorities, ecology, infrastructure, agriculture and health.