Sprinkler Mandate Showers Focus on Life Safety
Saving Lives at the Heart of Fire Sprinkler Mandates
When any building burns to the ground, the first questions usually involve not only how the fire got started, but also how the fire could have been stopped or prevented. In the worst-case scenario involving a loss of life, the question arises: Why did they have to die?
Those questions are why homeowners seek out smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) detectors and other fire alarm equipment for their homes. People want to know where a fire is starting so they have time to save their life, then have enough lead time for firefighters to be called in and stop the flames before they do much damage.
The H2O trickling down from residential sprinklers is another way of adding even more precious time that can save lives and property.
According to statistics compiled by NFPA, there were 301,500 fires in one- and two-unit homes in 2004. In those fires, $5 billion worth of property was destroyed. Even worse, 2,680 people lost their lives.
Besides those statistics, NFPA officials are aware of data from the four largest municipalities that have issued a requirement for all new residences to include fire sprinklers: Prince George’s County, Md., Cobb County, Ga., Napa, Calif., and Scottsdale. Those four combined have had only one home fire fatality in a sprinklered home since issuing sprinkler ordinances.
The potential to save more lives has resulted in action by NFPA and ICC. At NFPA’s World Safety Conference and Exposition last June, the alarm industry had all its eyes on the passage of NFPA 731 standard for electronic security installation (for more on NFPA 731, read the September 2005 issue). At the same Las Vegas conference, NFPA and its members voted in revisions to NFPA 101, Life Safety Code, and NFPA 5000, Building Construction and Safety Code, that were just as ground-shaking to the life-safety industry as 731 was for security.
The revisions required automatic sprinklers in all new one- and two-family residences, as well as nightclubs with a capacity of more than 100.
Three months later, at its 2005 Annual Conference in Detroit, ICC approved an appendix to its International Residential Code (IRC) that called for fire sprinklers in all one- and two-family homes.
Gary Johnson, chairman of the board of the Residential Fire Safety Institute (RFSI), says if the revisions result in even one life being saved, they’re worth it.
“I support any movements in the code to keep this ball rolling,” says Johnson, who serves on two NFPA technical committees and is national sales manager for fire-sprinkler-maker BlazeMaster. “It’s all about saving lives.”
If you enjoyed this article and want to receive more valuable industry content like this, click here to sign up for our FREE digital newsletters!
Related Content
Security Is Our Business, Too
For professionals who recommend, buy and install all types of electronic security equipment, a free subscription to Commercial Integrator + Security Sales & Integration is like having a consultant on call. You’ll find an ideal balance of technology and business coverage, with installation tips and techniques for products and updates on how to add to your bottom line.
A FREE subscription to the top resource for security and integration industry will prove to be invaluable.
