The fire pump feeds water to the fire sprinklers via the pipe system in order to extinguish the fire. The number of installed fire pumps is determined on the occupancy. It may be powered by either diesel engines or electric motors.

When the local water system cannot generate adequate pressure to meet the needs of the fire sprinkler system, a fire pump is required. This is most common in high-rise buildings or systems that provide a significant volume of water, such as storage warehouses. If the water supply is provided by a ground-level storage tank, fire pumps are also required.

When the pressure in the fire sprinkler system goes below a certain threshold, the fire pump activates. This is commonly triggered by one or more fire sprinklers releasing water or other firefighting connections being opened, producing a pressure decrease in the fire fighting main.

Typically, fire pumps are powered by an electric motor or a diesel engine. An electric motor-powered fire pump may necessitate the construction of an emergency generator if necessary. Offices, hospitals, airports, manufacturing sites, power plants, pharmaceutical facilities, schools/colleges, and warehouses are all common places to find fire pumps. Sprinkler systems, Hydrant systems, Deluge systems, Monitor systems, or Water curtains are examples of typical applications.