Residential Fire Sprinklers .com

Protecting Your Home & Family

Part two of a five part series focusing on the rapidly growing residential fire sprinkler market and why plumbing contractors are best positioned to capture this opportunity.

To view part one of the series visit “Residential Fire Sprinkler Requirements Coming Soon!“

The incorporation of amendment RB64-07/08 in the International Residential Code (IRC) for fire sprinklers to be installed in all single family homes constructed after January 1, 2011 will have a dramatic impact on the demand for qualified design and installation technicians. In addition, the demand for licensed contractors will experience a corresponding rise since most states and jurisdictions have some form of contractor licensing requirements.

It is estimated nationally that approximately 7500 firms were actively engaged in fire sprinkler contracting during 2008. The vast majority of these entities were of the cottage variety with average annual revenues of $1 million and less than 10 full-time employees. Industry data indicates that approximately 42 million sprinklers were installed in 2008 with less than 1 million of these in single family homes. Estimates indicate that there are presently 15,000 trained installation technicians serving the fire sprinkler industry and the vast majority are focused on commercial applications. As the 2009 IRC is adopted by various states and local jurisdictions, the numbers of qualified contractors and trained labor needed will stretch the available resources to the point where demand will far outstrip the available supply.

Using HUD’s 40 year average for new single family home construction and considering when the code requirement will be adopted by virtually all jurisdictions, it is estimated over 7000 additional trained installation technicians will be needed to meet the increased demand. However, even when conservatively assuming that only one-half of the new homes are sprinklered, the number is still over 3000 additional technicians. The plumbing industry is well positioned to supply a good part of this demand for skilled labor. Sprinkler systems are essentially a piping system equipped with nozzles (fire sprinklers) having specific installation criteria. The average plumber can quickly develop the skills needed to install fire sprinkler systems. In fact, it is expected that the majority of single family residential fire sprinkler systems will be combined with the domestic systems and, in reality, the plumbing contractor is the only choice to effectively install these systems.

Even with the historically low numbers of single family residences under construction in the current economic downturn, this is a billion dollar opportunity that the prudent plumbing contractor cannot ignore. However, there are barriers to entry. Licensing, insurance, and access to training programs are the most daunting, but all can be overcome.

Entities installing fire sprinkler systems are required to be licensed contractors in most states. Just as with plumbing, the requirements run the gamut. Some states are as simple as filling out an application and paying a fee while, at the other end of the spectrum, there are states that require years of experience, exams, and certifications in fire protection technology. Fire Smarts, LLC, in partnership with the PHCC, is developing resources specifically to help plumbing contractors sort out these differences and identify licensing requirements for the states they service. One movement that is already underway is creating a license that is specific to residential fire sprinkler systems to recognize the simpler design issues and the economy of having plumbing contractors involved in the market. The states of Washington, Texas, South Carolina and Georgia among others are examples of states that have already created, or are considering creating, this separate category.

Insurance is a barrier that the market place will address. There are reports that plumbing contractors who contacted their brokers have been quoted extravagant premiums when adding fire sprinkler installation to their business coverage. Others report that some insurance carriers are beginning to extend coverage for fire sprinkler installation provided that a qualified third party is supplying an approved system design. The demand for this insurance will open the insurance market and the carriers will meet the demand as the market expands. In the meantime, in regions where residential fire sprinkler systems are common such as California and Nevada, the general contractors have rolled the fire sprinkler contractor’s protection under their umbrella when the contractor was not able to bind coverage.

Training is the remaining significant barrier. Programs are in development at this time that will be geared to take experienced plumbers and add the skill set for fire sprinkler installation. The manufacturers of sprinkler piping, sprinkler heads, valves, and multi-purpose systems also have training programs for fire sprinkler contractors that can easily be adapted to the plumber. In addition, apprenticeship programs can be updated to incorporate modules that specialize in residential fire sprinkler requirements.

The market demand is coming and those contractors who are prepared to take advantage of the opportunity will see a significant return on the investment needed. It costs virtually nothing to investigate. With a market that is estimated to be $3 billion annually, this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity is calling for your attention.

In Part 3 of this series, “Residential Fire Sprinklers: Plumbing Contractor Competitive Advantage #1”, Steven Scandaliato, SET, will discuss how the fire sprinkler industry has little experience in residential construction compared to the extensive experience and existing general contractor relationships that residential plumbing contractors have and how this creates a clear competitive advantage.

Russ Leavitt is a Fire Smarts Faculty member and CEO of Telgian Corporation. With over 27 years of experience he holds a Level IV certification from NICET in Fire Sprinkler Layout and a Certified Fire Protection Specialist (CFPS) designation. He serves on the NFPA 13 correlating committee, NFPA 25 technical committee and NFPA 5000 (building code) correlating committee.

By Rick Casey - Houston Chronicle

The city of West University Place is hot under the collar over an amendment slipped into an innocuous bill on plumbing standards during the last days of the Legislature.

The amendment prohibits municipalities from requiring fire protection sprinkler systems in any single-family home or duplex.

The law would not take effect until Sept. 1, but it retroactively voids all local ordinances passed since Jan. 1, including one that West U. passed last month mandating sprinkler systems in all new homes.

The amendment was attached to a Senate bill by Rep. John Otto of Dayton, a small town northeast of Houston, who had failed to get his own bill on the subject to the House floor.

West U. Mayor Bob Kelly this week sent Gov. Rick Perry a letter asking him to veto the bill.

Mayor Kelly told the governor the issue wasn’t so much the ordinance itself, but the “assault on local control.”

Dayton is in a rural area “with entirely different dynamics than our urban community,” Kelly wrote. He said West U. building codes should not be made in Otto’s Liberty County.

“Local control has always been a fundamental tenet of your philosophy of government,” the mayor wrote the governor. “The amended Senate Bill 1410 attacks that philosophy. We strongly urge your veto.”

This puts Perry in an interesting position.

As his strong support of “states’ rights” indicates, he does favor local control.

But Perry also favors homebuilders, who average more than $200,000 a year in contributions to him.

Homebuilders don’t like the sprinkler requirement and lobbied for Otto’s bill.

They argue that the requirement prices low-income buyers out of the housing market, and that home buyers should be free to choose whether they want the system.

The arguments may make some sense in places like Dayton, where land is cheap and many houses are small.

But neither is the case in West University Place. A check of www.har.com, the Web site carrying listings by the Houston Association of Realtors, shows 17 vacant lots for sale in West U.

The cheapest one, 50 by 100 feet, is $300,000. The median one, not much larger, is $579,000.

The cheapest new house is listed at $850,000. Almost all the new ones are considerably more.

West U. Fire Chief Steve Ralls said he checked with installers, and state-of-the-art fire systems cost between $1 and $2 per square foot. So that would add at most $10,000 to a 5,000-square-foot house selling at more than $1 million. That’s not a big hit to the mortgage payments, and Ralls noted that insurers discount rates for homes with such systems.

Ralls said safety considerations are more important, especially in West U. where the huge new houses stand as little as 6 feet from neighboring houses.

A fire not only threatens the homeowner, but neighbors on both sides.

And, of course, fires endanger firefighters, which is why firefighters from around the state are letting the governor know how they feel about this bill.

Perry could express concern about vetoing the underlying bill to which the amendment is attached. But its author, Sen. Mike Jackson of Pasadena, says passage of the bill is not exactly an emergency. It mainly updates training criteria for various categories of plumbers.

So the governor is on the hot seat.

To read the full article click here.

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The Jesusita fire started Tuesday, May 5, 2009, in San Roque Canyon. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger declared a state of emergency in Santa Barbara County the next day, freeing up money and resources immediately to fight the fire.

Along Las Canoas Road, rubble remains where homes once stood after the wind-driven fire raced through the hillsides north of the city of Santa Barbara on Wednesday afternoon. Firefighters did what they could to protect homes in the area, but the danger on the ground forced them to retreat from some neighborhoods.

Eleven firefighters were injured in the fire and more than 13,500 residents forced to flee. The fire cost more than $15.5 million to fight and the value of the 78 homes destroyed in the Santa Barbara foothills could easily could reach $109 million.

Part 1 of a five part series focusing on the rapidly growing residential fire sprinkler market and why plumbing contractors are best positioned to capture this opportunity.

On September 21, 2008 the International Code Council (ICC) adopted amendment RB64-07/08 to the 2009 International Residential Code (IRC). This amendment mandates that beginning January 1, 2011 all new one and two family residential dwellings along with townhomes be equipped with fire sprinklers. Although the amended model code must ultimately be adopted at the state and local level, it is undisputable that the use of fire sprinklers for front line fire protection in residential structures will accelerate at a rate never before experienced. The timeline from now to the widespread adoption of the code is subject to debate, but given the fact that nationally over 400 local jurisdictions already have some level of single family sprinkler requirements in place, the momentum for mandatory residential fire sprinklers will certainly advance.

There is also no question that the passage of RB64-07/08 will accelerate the adoption of local residential requirements before 2011. The first comprehensive residential ordinance was adopted by the city of San Clemente, California 30 years ago. The growth of the single family residential fire sprinkler industry after that time was slow, but steady, with a noticeable increase in the last decade. Each ordinance was typically sponsored by local fire prevention officials and faced well financed opposition from the home builders lobby. However, with the most widely used model code in the world slated to require the installation of fire sprinklers in single family houses, the path for the adoption of a local residential ordinance now has the backing of the national code making community.

It is predicted by many in the industry that the number of communities specifying residential fire sprinklers in single family homes could double ahead of the IRC mandate in 2011. There is no doubt that strong opposition remains, but the passage of RB64-07/08 will make it difficult for jurisdictions to “amend” the requirement out of the code when it is adopted. The liability is high and public officials have little appetite for the potential risk that will come with the first fire death that occurs in an unsprinklered home that otherwise would have been protected as required in the IRC. As a result of these factors and the clear groundswell of support, the resolve of those opposed to residential fire sprinklers is weakening. Many home builders are now turning their attention to the task of how best to incorporate fire sprinklers into their marketing strategies and construction practices.

The impact on the fire protection industry will be profound. Using the number of housing starts and residential fire sprinklers sold for 2007, the current market size for sprinklered single family homes is placed between $90 and 100 million annually. The numbers are certainly noteworthy, but miniscule compared with the market potential. Based on HUD data, the 40 year average (through 2007) of single family houses built is 1.169 million units a year. The average size of a single family home constructed in 2007 was 2479 ft². When coupled with a conservative national installation cost of $1.00 per ft², the market value is a staggering $2.9 billion. When measured in terms of sprinklers, it is estimated that when the requirement is fully implemented, over 29 million fire sprinklers will be installed annually in single family homes.

The impact on the existing market size is huge. Up until the last few decades, fire protection requirements have been centered on property protection in commercial buildings. With the introduction of fast response fire sprinklers in the 1980’s, requirements have been extended to multi-unit residential occupancies, with a particular focus towards multi-story buildings. As a result of the small market, single family residential fire sprinklers have typically been the domain of a few specialized contractors.

The coming mandate for residential fire sprinklers in single family homes will change the look of the industry. Once the 2009 IRC is implemented, residential fire sprinklers will account for nearly half the fire sprinkler market. There are simply not enough qualified contractors, design technicians, and installers to meet the coming demand. The opportunity for growing your business is enormous and those contractors who are prepared have that once in a lifetime chance to transform their business. The numbers of contractors specializing in residential fire sprinklers must expand. The market will demand it and it is clear that plumbing contractors are in the best position to absorb this growth. Don’t procrastinate on investigating this opportunity. It is too good to ignore.

In Part 2 of this series, “Plumbing Contractors Needed for Residential Fire Sprinkler Work”, Russ Leavitt will discuss how a labor shortage in the fire sprinkler industry creates a critical need for plumbing labor, including an overview of the common “barriers to entry” that plumbing contractors need to consider when preparing to provide residential fire sprinkler services.

Russ Leavitt is a Fire Smarts Faculty member and CEO of Telgian Corporation. With over 27 years of experience he holds a Level IV certification from NICET in Fire Sprinkler Layout and a Certified Fire Protection Specialist (CFPS) designation. He serves on the NFPA 13 correlating committee, NFPA 25 technical committee and NFPA 5000 (building code) correlating committee.

This was an interesting question that I asked myself before the inclusion of the residential sprinkler requirements in the last remaining model code to accept them for one and two family homes and townhouses.

During the period in time where the International Building Code and International Residential Code (IBC/IRC) committee’s were reviewing code change proposals for this inclusion and subsequently during the committee’s refusals to accept numerous proposals to include them; I was approached by one of our fire suppression personnel who learned that a new Habitat home was being planned in our jurisdiction.

The firefighter informed me of the project and presented me with information on a physical limitation one of the family’s children had. He asked if I thought we could get sprinklers donated. This is what started the research process into the feasibility of the project.

The greatest road block to my surprise was the historic stance the National organization had in not recommending Residential Fire Sprinklers for their projects but historically leaving it up to regional groups and local affiliates to decide. The question that kept coming up was why?

Apparently the greatest concerns were; a perceived lack in ability for homeowners to maintain such a complex system like sprinklers, the potentials for water damage and the potential liability for a non-maintained system and failure to operate.

Seizing the opportunity to provide public education; the local affiliate here in our county was contacted to discuss and address some of the concerns that existed about Residential Fire Sprinklers. I met with the affiliate’s General Contractor and we had a pleasant discussion about the common myths associated to Residential Fire Sprinklers and the ease in maintenance. He suggested that the local Board of Directors for Habitat be contacted to present them with the information we had discussed during our meeting and possibly provide them with materials to explain Residential Fire Sprinklers.

Naturally, as things work out the meeting was scheduled during the ICC Final Action Hearing where the vote for Residential Fire Sprinklers was going to take place. I sought assistance from our Building Official who was willing to take the roll on and to discuss this with the Habitat Board and show them a presentation on Residential Fire Sprinklers. The meeting was a success and the local affiliate was receptive and voted unanimously to having a system donated for this project.

The work now began to find contractors and resources where we could get the materials and installation donated. Various fire protection firms were contacted as we discussed the proposal and details about the Habitat project with them. I received commitments from three companies who all agreed to donate the entire design, materials, installation and labor for the home.

I was now faced with multiple companies who wanted to get involved and a new question; would the project need one contractor or multiple? After contacting each of them back and graciously thanking each for their willingness to assist, I notified them that I decided to go with a single source for our ease and needs in consistency in plan review, inspection and final testing.

The first company to commit was chosen and in an effort to not alienate the other two companies; I asked each of them if they would be interested in getting involved in the future for other local Habitat projects if the affiliate wanted to do more being that this would be their first sprinkled home in our region, in turn both agreed.

The Habitat’s affiliate General Contractor was notified of the company chosen and they began the preparation work for the sprinkler company’s needs to design the system and establish work schedules for their installation. The sprinkler company and the Habitat contractor began to discuss the schedule and other details while we stayed involved to help with the various processes.

This personal touch also assured and reinforced the Habitat Board’s desire that we would be assuring full code compliance in the process. The local Water Department was contacted as we sought relief from tapping and metering fees associated to residential construction and they agreed to assist, which made the entire process work much smoother. We were also able to get an exterior and interior alarm donated that went above the minimum standard requirement in NFPA 13D.

Once the plan review, installation’s rough-in and final acceptance testing were completed and the system was approved, there was a presentation service held to give the home to the family. The fire department was asked to attend and during the ceremony. I was asked by the affiliate Habitat Board to explain the sprinkler system donation process to the guests in attendance. I seized this platform to provide some additional public education to the dignitaries in attendance and afterwards I privately asked the family if I could stay after the ceremony to provide some additional training and operational procedures on the sprinkler system to them. Some of the dignitaries wanted to learn more also, so I figured the more the merrier.

The entire process worked out so well that I honestly believe the additional personal touches, willingness to provide additional education and the development of partnerships allowed us to successfully get the sprinkler system installed. The regional Habitat organization has since agreed to install Residential Fire Sprinklers in all their future home projects.

Habitat homes are typically donated to disadvantaged socioeconomic populations that are directly related to our mission in public education related to fire prevention. We were extremely pleased that the our regional affiliate for Habitat allowed us to assist them with installing residential sprinklers and we look forward to working with them in the future.

So, should we promote the sprinkling of Habitat Homes?

Fire Marshal Paul Dove has been employed by the City of Coldwater Michigan, Fire Department for 14 years and has served 24 years in the professional fire service. He was formerly employed by the Lake Park Fire Department (Palm Beach County Fire Rescue) in Palm Beach County, Florida as a Firefighter, Inspector, Investigator and Officer. He is a past president of the Michigan Fire Inspector’s Society and served as Code Committee Chairmen for ten years. He is currently serving a second term on the Michigan Fire Inspector’s Society Executive Board. He is a former principle member of the NFPA Life Safety Code and Building Code Technical Committee on Fire Protection Features and former member of the NFPA North Central Region Fire Code Development Committee. He is currently an instructor for the NFPA Fire Inspector and Plan Review Certification programs and the State of Michigan Inspector, Plan Review and Firefighter I-II Certification programs. He has conducted fire cause and origin investigations as lead investigator with associated partnerships in arson investigations for over 700 incidents involving fire and explosion for commercial, residential, industrial and vehicle property. He is a court qualified expert witness. During his career he was awarded with the LPFD Combat Cross for Bravery (1992), Rookie Firefighter of the Year (1986) and was awarded the Michigan Fire Inspector of the Year (2001).

By Robert Behre - The Post and Courier

Normally, it wouldn’t be considered a good thing to have several fire trucks, fire marshals and code inspectors parked in your driveway.

But in the case of the new 3,500-square-foot home under construction on Rice Pond Road in West Ashley, looks can deceive.

That’s because the gathering was planned by businessman Charles Stewart.

As head of Homesafe Fire Protection, Stewart wants to make a point, to educate Charleston officials and others about the first residential sprinkler system he has installed in the city.

“I really believe in another six to eight years, you’re not going to be able to buy a house without it,” he says.

What makes this system unique is not the technology, which has been around for years. Instead, it’s the price, about $2 per square foot, or about $7,000 in this home.

Unlike other systems that required a separate set of pipes and a backflow preventer and other costly add-ons, this system can be hooked up to a home’s regular plumbing, and that lowers the cost.

Code requires sprinkler systems for large apartment buildings and condominiums but not for single-family homes and duplexes.

Asked about the percentage of Charleston single-family homes that currently have a sprinkler system,

Charleston Chief Building Official Thomas Scholtens says it’s “very, very, very low.”

Admittedly, Stewart has a financial interest in promoting the new technology, but he also feels he has a higher calling.

Four out of every five fire deaths occur in homes, and they claimed the lives of 2,580 people in 2006, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Stewart notes a 1997 Scottsdale, Ariz., study found that 90 percent of the time, only one or two sprinkler heads were needed to put out a fire. They used about 300 gallons of water, compared with about 3,000 gallons of water that are sprayed inside a home if the Fire Department arrives.

The average damage from a home fire with a sprinkler system was less than $2,000, compared with $17,067 in homes without.

Scholtens notes that sprinkler systems can buy critical time to get family members out and will slow one of the greatest fire hazards: Toxic air caused when heat cooks out poisonous gases from a home’s building material.

“Well before you burn, you’re dead on the floor because of the gases,” he says.

Some might fear a system will go off accidentally, soaking furniture, carpets and other stuff, but Stewart notes that the sprinkler head’s cover doesn’t detach until it reaches a temperature of 135 degrees Fahrenheit, and it doesn’t begin to spray until it reaches 155 degrees.

Stewart walked around the framed home with almost two dozen firefighters, code inspectors and other officials to show off the loops of piping leading to more than a dozen sprinkler heads.

Last year’s meeting of national building code officials in Minneapolis voted to require sprinkler systems in new homes, but Scholtens notes it will take years before that code takes effect, and some interests are expected to fight it by arguing that it would make new homes too expensive.

That’s why Stewart hopes to convince people that these systems are a good idea, even if they’re not required by law. As the cost drops, that will be an easier sell.

To read the full article click here.

Citing the fact that more than 90 percent of fireground firefighter deaths occur in one- and two-family homes, leading fire service organizations warned against state-by-state legislative efforts, orchestrated by homebuilders, which are designed to prohibit communities from requiring residential fire sprinklers in new home construction. Fire service groups are reiterating their strong support for sprinklers in the wake of several legislative attempts across the country.

“Anti-sprinkler proponents are attempting to deny local jurisdictions the right to decide on critical safety code provisions and if successful, they will put firefighters and the public at risk,” said International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) President Chief Larry J. Grorud, CFO, MIFireE. “These anti-sprinkler bills will set a dangerous precedent.” Chief Grorud said there are now bills in approximately 15 states that ignore the well established, life-safety benefit of sprinklers and if passed, will take away a real opportunity to enhance public and firefighter safety.

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), approximately 80 percent of all fires occur in homes, but when home fire sprinklers are present the chances of dying in a home fire decrease by about 80 percent. NFPA has no record of a multiple fatality fire in a sprinklered building where the system operated. All model safety codes now call for the installation of residential sprinklers in new home construction.

“Now is not the time to backslide on fire and life safety. It is important to move this technology forward with the adoption of sprinkler provisions from the model codes into state and local codes in order to bring this added level of safety to all citizens,” said Georgia State Fire Marshal Alan R. Shuman, president of the National Association of State Fire Marshals (NASFM).

“We see the devastating consequences of home fires every day, and we know sprinklers save lives,” International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) General President Harold A. Schaitberger said. “These misguided legislative efforts will make it harder to keep people safe, protect their property, and will jeopardize the lives of firefighters.”

“Home fire sprinklers provide an added level of safety because they control heat, smoke and flames allowing occupants time to escape and giving firefighters a safer environment,” said National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) Chairman Philip C. Stittleburg. “The NVFC’s state association members have been fighting and will continue to push back against attempts to restrict fire sprinkler installation in new residential construction.”

Roughly 90 percent of the time, fires are contained by the operation of just one sprinkler. When sprinklers are not present, the fire can burn for minutes, raging out of control, filling the home with toxic smoke and resulting in far greater losses. A recent NFPA report states that sprinklers reduce the average property loss by 71 percent per fire.

Anyone interested in public safety and learning more about home fire sprinklers can visit www.firesprinklerinitiative.org

By Scott Simianer, City Building Inspector

The City of Hot Springs is a governmental member of the International Code Council (ICC) and utilizes the building codes published by the ICC, as does the State of South Dakota and 47 other states. California and Wisconsin do not currently use this code.

The City currently utilizes the 2003 Editions of the residential and commercial building codes (IRC & IBC) and is expected to update to the current edition early in 2009.

On Sept. 21, 73 percent of the voting members of the ICC voted to support two code proposals requiring fire sprinklers in one and two-family dwellings and townhouses covered by the IRC. The first proposal added the requirement for fire sprinklers in townhouses that fall within the scope of the IRC beginning in 2009, the second added the requirement for one- and two-family dwellings effective January 1, 2011.

The primary function of any fire sprinkler system is fire containment, to keep the fire from spreading. Through suppression and containment there is less smoke and fewer toxic gases, and thus fewer cases of smoke inhalation. Fire victims succumb to smoke and heat first; it is then that they are taken by the fire.

The effectiveness of fire sprinkler systems is proven and isn’t even arguable. So why not have fire sprinklers in residential dwellings? The cost?

Residential fire sprinkler requirements will be less stringent than in commercial or public applications, and there is typically far less space to be protected, so the costs of residential fire sprinkler systems are not expected to be overly expensive, especially when they become more commonplace.

Residential systems will not be required to be engineered. The code will supply charts for most given applications including sprinkler flows, square footage requirements and placement.

The cost of a residential fire sprinkler system is expected to be about $1.60 per square foot in a new home. By comparison, carpeting will cost you that much or more per square foot, wood flooring could cost $3.50 sq/ft on up. Considering that most insurance companies offer discount incentives for fire protection, that square foot cost of increased fire protection could pay for itself in reduced insurance premiums.

One common misconception about fire sprinklers is that if one goes off, they all go off. That is nothing other than Hollywood theatrics to make Arnold Schwarzenegger appear to be a crack shot, by triggering dozens of sprinklers with a single bullet. Fire sprinklers are heat activated. Should a fire spread, even while being engaged by a sprinkler, only the heat from the spreading fire would then activate an additional fire sprinkler, not all of them. Residential sprinkler systems are expected to be sized to operate two full-flow fire sprinklers.

Another misconception is the amount of water damage caused by fire sprinklers (again, thank you, Mr. Schwarzenegger). I would much rather have a single sprinkler containing a fire in my kitchen, using 18 gallons per minute (gpm) until the fire department arrives (in town) ten minutes after the alarm, or about 180 gallons of water. Compare that to a fire spreading from the kitchen stove, to the cabinets, to the ceiling and into the living room in that same ten minutes. Upon arrival, for fear of flash-over, the firemen will cool the fire first (about 200 gallons), and then suppress the kitchen and living room fire with an inch-and-a-half hose (175 gpm) for another ten minutes, or about 1,950 gallons of water. Scenarios will vary, but I believe you see the point I’m trying to make.

Alterations and home additions will not be affected by the new fire sprinkler requirement due to the possibilities of undersized existing water services. Only new construction will only be affected at this point.

I can foresee much discussion on the horizon regarding this new requirement, and my office will keep the community informed as to the direction this is going.

Good luck and good building.

By Gal Tziperman Lotan - Taunton Daily Gazette

It was a shock. But maybe it shouldn’t have been. Oudah Frawi and his two infant sons died last week when a fire gutted their basement apartment in Quincy. A month earlier, three Plymouth seniors died in two separate house fires, days apart.

The blazes raised many questions, including: If fire safety is so rigorously taught in schools and community centers, with laws requiring sprinklers and detectors, why do more than 3,000 people die annually in residential fires?

“On some level, we’re victims of success,” said Lorraine Carli of the National Fire Protection Association in Quincy. “People aren’t as aware of fires, and not as many people feel like ‘that could happen to me.’”

And yet it’s happening more. Residential fires rose 11 percent statewide in 2007, according to the Massachusetts Fire Incident Reporting System. And the six South Shore fire fatalities in a month illustrate that the situation isn’t getting any better.

“It is very important that people still be very much aware of that fact, and aware that the vast majority of home fires can be prevented,” Carli said.

And more importantly, experts say, is that deaths in house fires can be prevented. Senior citizens are particularly vulnerable, Deputy Fire Chief William Carrico of Duxbury said. Those aged 65 to 74 are twice as likely to die in a fire as the general population, and people 85 and older are more than five times as likely to die in a fire, the U.S. Fire Administration reports.

Carrico suggests that adult children conduct regular safety inspections in their parents’ homes, making sure that walkways are clear of tripping hazards and smoke detectors on every level are fully functional.

“There are a lot of smart people out there, regardless of how old they are,” he said. “We’re just reminding them of these safety issues.”

Fire officials said parents must pay special attention to young children. Practice is key so that kids, who might hesitate because they are too scared or confused to move, know what to do if an alarm sounds.

Children who learn how the alarm works, by participating in regular fire drills or pressing the button triggering the alarm themselves, will function better in case of a fire, Carrico said.

“A lot of kids are afraid of smoke detectors,” Carrico said. “When it goes off they cover their ears and start screaming because they don’t understand it’s an important tool.”

Fire safety experts stress making sure safeguards, like detectors and sprinklers, are working. The Plymouth home of Eduardo and Maria Rosa Tavares, who died Feb. 12, did not have working smoke detectors. Frawi’s apartment also didn’t have smoke detectors, and the building’s central fire alarm system was turned off and silent.

It’s imperative the whole family has, and knows, an escape plan – including charting two ways out of every room. When they see smoke or flames, residents should quickly leave the house, then call 911, said Jennifer Mieth, state Department of Fire Services spokeswoman.

To read the full article click here.

By Eric Lindberg - The Daily Sound

Fire sprinklers will be a mandatory requirement for any new buildings, additions and major remodels in Santa Barbara after leaders unanimously approved changes to the city’s fire code yesterday in an effort to minimize loss of life and unnecessary damage.

In addition to commercial buildings, the requirement will apply to all new single-family homes, a significant fact considering that residential structure fires account for 83 percent of fire-related deaths and 80 percent of fire-related injuries.

“This does mean a real cost to people,” Councilmember Das Williams said. “But the fact is that the lives that will be saved, we cannot put a cost on.”

Data backs up the contention that fire sprinklers save lives and limit damage, City Fire Marshal Joe Poire said, pointing out research that shows the risk of dying in a structure fire is reduced by 82 percent when sprinklers are used in conjunction with smoke detectors, compared to a reduced fatality rate of 63 percent with only smoke detectors.

“They often complete the work before the fire department arrives,” Poire said.

On average, it takes city firefighters approximately eight minutes to respond to a structure fire, from receiving the alarm call to hitting the flames with water.

“During that time, the fire continues to grow,” Poire said. “Fires tend to grow very quickly in ordinary combustibles, like furniture.”

A sprinkler responding to the heat of a fire will dump 20 gallons of water per minute on the flames, he said, usually extinguishing them or buying critical time until firefighters can arrive.

Fire sprinklers played a significant role in saving the life of a resident in the 4200 block of Calle Real last year, Poire said. An accidental fire started in the residence and the victim was unconscious on a burning mattress when an overhead sprinkler extinguished the flames.

“This would have absolutely resulted in a fatality had a sprinkler not been installed,” Poire said, adding that the victim sustained only minor injuries.

Under the prior fire code, fire sprinklers were required for new commercial construction or additions greater than 5,000 square feet, in addition to any commercial buildings larger than 5,000 square feet that are converted to a more hazardous use.

Residential buildings, as well as remodels, were not subject to the requirement.

When the changes go into effect in July, all new residential and commercial buildings, regardless of size, will need sprinklers. Any commercial additions or remodels involving 50 percent or more of the building will also trigger the safety measure.

Additions or remodels in residential structures that exceed 1,000 square feet or 50 percent of the floor area are also covered by the requirement, as well as any building changed to a more hazardous use.

Fire officials researched the approximate cost of installing fire sprinklers in the Santa Barbara area and determined it would fall between $2.50 and $3 per square foot. Poire noted that sprinklers typically reduce fire insurance premiums from 2 to 20 percent.

He also cleared up several myths about fire sprinklers, including the contention that they are all triggered at once by smoke, causing water damage throughout the building

He said sprinklers go off individually based on heat, not smoke. Poire said the relatively lower flow of water compared to fire hoses also causes much less damage.

Although he admitted to being initially skeptical of the requirement, as it would increase the cost of building new homes, Councilmember Dale Francisco said he ultimately determined that the safety measure is warranted.

“I eventually came to the conclusion that this was a good proposal,” he said. “I think this is something that we will look back on and say it was a good idea.”

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