Which system provides a protected path for water to be delivered to the fire department?

• A. Standpipe system
• B. Fire alarm system
• C. Fire department connection (FDC)
• D. Hydraulic water supply

Answer: (C)

The fire department connection provides the external entry point that lets firefighters deliver water into the building’s standpipe or sprinkler system. It’s the protected conduit where hoses from a pumper or the municipal water supply can be connected to admit water into the internal piping, ensuring a reliable, pressurized path right to the fire floor. The standpipe inside the building is the actual network that carries the water to outlets, but without the FDC, water from outside can’t be introduced into that system. The other options don’t establish this external-to-internal delivery path: a fire alarm system handles detection and notification, not water delivery; and a generic hydraulic water supply isn’t the specific protected entry point used by firefighters.