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Home fire sprinklers can be integrated with local water supply systems with ease according to a new study – Integration of Residential Sprinklers with Water Supply Systems (PDF, 842 KB) – released today by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). The study, conducted by Newport Partners of Maryland, looked at detailed information for 20 US communities with a residential sprinkler ordinance and concluded that water supply integration requirements have been put into place, and there are no examples of insurmountable problems or issues. Neither design problems nor significant added costs were found in the communities surveyed.

“This is another critical piece of substantiation against the myths that abound about home fire sprinklers,” said Jim Shannon, NFPA president. “It is simply not true that sprinklers cannot be integrated with public water supply or significantly adds to cost. What is true is that home fire sprinklers save lives and should be required in new construction of one- and two-family homes.”

All model safety codes now include such a provision. According to NFPA, the risk of dying in a home fire is cut by about 80 percent when sprinklers are present.

Key findings from the report

While sprinklers are still a fairly recent development in all of these communities (average ordinance age is about 3 years), water supply integration requirements have been put into place, and there are no examples of insurmountable problems or issues. Neither design problems nor significant added costs were found in the communities surveyed. Findings included:

- Nearby communities, such as those in the same state, generally adopt consistent provisions on issues such as water metering requirements; making compliance more uniform and predictable.

- More unusual design requirements, such as dual water service lines or dual water meters, are rare and typically driven by a local issue which would not apply in most other areas

- In more than half of the communities, no cost impact resulted from sprinkler-induced changes to water meter size, the need for additional water meters, or changes to tap size. These communities also did not have higher monthly service fees from the water supplier for homes with sprinklers. (In those communities where one or more of these factors did add cost, the average added cost was about $400.)

- Administrative issues such as concerns about water shut-off and larger, less accurate meters are not viewed as significant issues. In those communities where system inspections are required, communities are adopting a variety of practical strategies.

Overall, water suppliers, building departments and fire service have developed practical approaches to accommodate both home fire sprinklers and the local water supply.

Study Background

In-depth interviews were conducted with 20 U.S. communities with a residential sprinkler ordinance to better understand how sprinklers are integrated with the local water supply systems, including any added costs related to meters or tap fees. Participants included local water providers, building departments and fire service staff. The interview questions were based on a literature review of fire sprinkler/water supply integration issues, and were conducted by phone after first screening a community to make sure it had an ordinance covering all new single-family construction that had been in effect since 1999. This research was conducted in Spring/Summer 2009.

A recently completed research report concluded that the presence of sprinkler ordinances has no negative impact on the number of homes being built. In fact, in the comparison of two sets of counties, the municipalities actually saw an increase in construction in the year after regulations became effective, compared to the adjacent counties without sprinkler ordinances.

Conducted by Newport Partners, Comparative Analysis of Housing Cost and Supply Impacts of Sprinkler Ordinances at the Community Level compared residential construction in suburban Anne Arundel and Prince George’s Counties, Maryland, and Montgomery County, Maryland, and Fairfax County, Virginia. Prince George’s County and Montgomery County have sprinkler requirements; Fairfax County and Anne Arundel County do not. The counties were selected based on their demographic matches to each other.

Newport Partner’s analysis was based on an extensive review of annual single-family building permits, the U.S. Census Bureau Surveys of Housing and Households, and analysis of local documents before and after sprinkler requirements were imposed. In addition, Newport conducted interviews with builders, trade association staff, and local government officials to provide insight into the housing landscape in these counties pre- and post-requirements. According to the report, “None of the statistical or interview information demonstrated that the requirements led to reduced housing supply.”

A new report from the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) states “with the advent of new materials and innovative products for use in construction of single-family houses, there is a need to understand what impacts these materials and products will have on occupant life safety, under fire conditions and a need to develop a technical basis for the evaluation of their fire performance.” The results clearly indicate that while these new construction materials provide a structurally sound alternative to solid wood construction, thereby reducing the impact on our environment, they are susceptible to failure in a basement fire situation, far sooner than solid wood construction components used previously.

These new building materials are essential to the protection of our environment and the control of rising home construction costs. C.A.S.A. believes that the combined use of a residential fire sprinkler system and these new lightweight, environmentally sound building products, will provide new home buyers with a home that not only meets the performance of solid wood construction but exceeds it.

C.A.S.A. President, John Galt, stated “with the information in this report Canadian home builders need to embrace fire sprinkler technology and start providing home buyers with this proven level of life safety for their families”.

Fires in homes account for the majority of fire fatalities in Canada, 80% of all fire deaths occur in residential properties. The City of Vancouver has proven through their fire sprinkler bylaw that residences with a fire sprinkler system and smoke detectors increase occupant survivability by 88%.  In Vancouver, no fatalities have occurred in a residential property equipped with a fire sprinkler system installed to N.F.P.A. 13D since the implementation of their bylaw.

The Canadian Automatic Sprinkler Association (C.A.S.A.) welcomes the National Research Council (N.R.C.) summary report on “STUDY OF UNPROTECTED FLOOR ASSEMBLIES IN BASEMENT FIRE SCENARIOS” C.A.S.A. is proud to have been a partner in of this study and looks forward to participating in future studies.

About C.A.S.A.: C.A.S.A. is the voice of the sprinkler industry in Canada, representing contractors, designers and manufactures across Canada. C.A.S.A is a national leader in home fire safety and injury prevention through the use of residential fire sprinklers. Incorporated in 1961 C.A.S.A. has long been the leading advocate of fire sprinklers in Canada in the fight to reduce deaths as a result of fire. For more information on residential sprinklers please visit the following web sites: www.casa-firesprinkler.org www.homefiresprinkler.org

The Department of Homeland Security’s United States Fire Administration (USFA) has issued a report today examining the causes and characteristics of fires occurring in residential structures and buildings. The report, Residential Structure and Building Fires, was developed by the National Fire Data Center, part of USFA.

The report presents an overview of residential structure fires and trends for one-and two-family, multifamily, and other residential structures. This report also addresses residential building fires for each of the three residential occupancy types.

The report is based primarily on 2005 NFIRS data and the 2005 National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) survey data. In 2005, there were an estimated 396,000 residential structure fires, resulting in 3,055 civilian fire deaths, 13,825 civilian injuries, and $6.9 billion in loss.

“Most fires and related deaths and injuries in residences are preventable,” said United States Fire Administrator Greg Cade. “It is important that you take the necessary precautions to ensure your home is fire safe. Install and maintain smoke alarms and sprinklers, and establish and practice your escape plan. By being prepared, you can help reduce the chances of fire injury or even death.”

Fires in residential buildings—a subset of residential structures—accounted for 95 percent of residential structure fires and fatal fires, 97 percent of residential structure fires with injuries, and 95 percent of fires with dollar loss. There were an estimated 376,500 residential building fires in 2005. These fires claimed the lives of 2,895 civilians and injured an additional 13,375 civilians.

Cooking (41 percent) and heating (13 percent) are the leading causes of residential building fires. Cooking also accounts for approximately 25 percent of fires that injure civilians. Smoking (20 percent) is the leading cause of fatal residential building fires.

Download the Residential Structure and Building Fires Report

Residential Fire Sprinkler Market Potential Exceeds $3 Billion Annually – Over 10,000 Additional Skilled Workers Needed

New residential fire sprinkler market analysis projects the market potential and labor demand created by the passing and eventual widespread enforcement of amendment RB64-07/08 to the International Residential Code (IRC).

September 22, 2008 – A national market potential for the installation of residential fire sprinklers is examined in a new report Residential Fire Sprinklers Market Growth and Labor Demand Analysis (PDF, 913 KB), authored by fire protection industry expert Russ Leavitt, SET, CFPS, with contributions by Steven Scandaliato, SET, and Ryan J. Smith. According to the report, the required installation of residential fire sprinklers in newly constructed one and two family houses has the potential to exceed $3 billion annually.

Using three different methods of calculating market potential, results for residential fire sprinkler installations in the United States ranged from $2.9 billion to $3.2 billion annually. Further, four types of labor were analyzed to project the number of additional positions needed as residential fire sprinkler requirements are adopted across the country.

“There’s no question that the recent passing of residential fire sprinkler requirements to the International Residential Code will change the industry in a breath and timeline never experienced before,” said Russ Leavitt, SET, CFPS. “How the industry responds to the need for additional skilled labor will determine how quickly this market potential can be fully realized.”

The report considers the extent of design, installation and jurisdictional enforcement labor that will be needed to accommodate the residential fire sprinkler market growth. Most staggering is the projected amount of sprinkler installation labor that will be required as the conservative analysis calculates over 7000 additional positions.

The Residential Fire Sprinklers Market Growth and Labor Demand Analysis, published by Fire Smarts, LLC, is available for download at www.ResidentialFireSprinklers.com . Fire Smarts, LLC, is a leading provider of online educational and marketing services focused on fire protection.

A national perspective on the cost of installing residential fire sprinklers is examined in a new report Home Fire Sprinkler Cost Assessment , released today by the Fire Protection Research Foundation, an affiliate of the National Fire Protection Association. According to the report, the cost of installing sprinkler systems to the home builder averaged $1.61 per sprinklered square foot. Sprinklered square feet is the total area of spaces with sprinklers.

The cost of sprinkler systems to the home builder, in dollars per sprinklered square foot, ranged from $0.38 to $3.66. This cost includes all costs to the builder associated with the system including design, installation, and other costs such as permits, additional equipment, increased tap and water meter fees – to the extent that they apply.

“There’s no question that an investment in a residential fire sprinkler system can prove to be a life-saving decision, but when seeking cost information to make that decision, people are often hard pressed to find true costs.” said Kathleen Almand, executive director of the Fire Protection Research Foundation. “We found that professionals in the field and the average person were in great need of reliable information in this area – the findings from our latest research project provide costs based on actual data.”

Case studies that examined installation costs and insurance premium discounts associated with the installation of home fire sprinkler systems were conducted for 10 communities, nine distributed throughout the United States and one in Canada. They are: Pitt Meadows, BC (Canada); San Clemente, CA; Fort Collins, CO; Huntley, IL; Matteson, IL; North Andover, MA; Carroll County, MD; Prince George’s County, MD; Wilsonville, OR; and Pleasant View, TN.

Communities were selected based on diversity in terms of sprinkler ordinance longevity, geographic location, housing style, and sprinkler system variables such as the type of piping material and the water supply source (municipal or on-site). Three building plans were collected from builders and sprinkler installers within each of these communities, along with sprinkler system cost data and other related cost and system information.

“More than 8 in 10 fire deaths occur in homes, yet the likelihood of someone dying in a home fire is cut in half when sprinklers are present,” said Gary Keith, NFPA’s vice president of field operations. “Installing a home fire sprinkler system is a huge step in the right direction when protecting people and property. This national cost assessment will help jurisdictions, building professionals, insurance companies, the fire service, and members of the general public interested in making informed decisions about home fire sprinklers.”

The Fire Protection Research Foundation Project Technical Panel included: David Butry, National Institute of Standards & Technology; Mike Chapman, Chapman Homes; Keith Covington, Third Coast Design Studio, LLC; Paul Emrath, National Association of Home Builders; Jeff Feid, State Farm Insurance; Tony Fleming, Metropolitan Fire Protection; J. Dennis Gentzel, Office of the Maryland State Fire Marshal; Michael Kebles, Las Vegas Valley Water District; Gary Keith, National Fire Protection Association; Ron Murray, UA Local 290, Portland, OR; James Tidwell, International Code Council; Paul Valentine, Mt. Prospect Fire Department; and Kenneth Zaccard, Hanover Park Fire Department, representing IAFC.

The Fire Protection Research Foundation plans, manages, and communicates consortium-funded research on a broad range of fire safety issues in collaboration with scientists and laboratories around the world. The Foundation is an affiliate of NFPA.

NFPA has been a worldwide leader in providing fire, electrical, building, and life safety to the public since 1896. The mission of the international nonprofit organization is to reduce the worldwide burden of fire and other hazards on the quality of life by providing and advocating consensus codes and standards, research, training, and education.

The United States Fire Administration (USFA), in partnership with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), have released the findings of a research project to demonstrate the value of residential fire sprinklers on the heat release rate of a dry Christmas tree fire.

Previously I commented on a video released by NIST showing just how quickly a dry Christmas tree can burn. This original video shocked millions, especially those families that bring a Christmas tree into their home for the holidays. A primary message to the public was “get those Christmas trees out of your house before they dry out!”

What an important safety message to spread considering that according to NIST, trees used indoors during the holiday season account for approximately 400 house fires each year. The consequences of these fires include 10 deaths, 80 injuries and more than $15 million in property damage.

Now USFA and NIST have taken things an important step further. Their research and findings report and the videos below validate the incredible effectiveness of residential fire sprinkler systems in controlling even the intense burn of a dry Christmas tree.

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Christmas Tree Fire – No Sprinklers

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(no audio) Ignition occurs at 0 seconds; flames spread to ceiling at 7 seconds; tree is fully engulfed in flames at 25 seconds; furniture upholstery starts to melt at 30 seconds; sofa burns at 45 seconds; compartment transitions to flashover at 60 seconds; damage to compartment is consistent with flashover conditions as there is burn damage throughout the room from floor to ceiling at 1 minute and 25 seconds (end of video).

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Christmas Tree Fire – With Sprinklers

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(no audio) Ignition occurs at 0 seconds; flames spread to ceiling at 7 seconds; sprinkler activates at 10 seconds; much of tree is engulfed in flames at 20 seconds; tree continues to burn at 1 minute; tree continues to burn at 1 minute and 30 seconds; small portion of sofa in contact with the tree ignites at 2 minutes and 30 seconds; fire is completely extinguished by sprinkler within 3 minutes and 30 seconds; water from the sprinkler kept portions of the tree below point of ignition from burning, limited the flame spread on the furnishings, and the compartment did not flashover at 7 minutes and 10 seconds (end of video).

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In my comments on the original video released I speculated that “a fire sprinkler would not only slow down the fire and reduce the amount of smoke, in some cases it may even be able to extinguish the fire and save the home from destruction.” Now, thanks to this further research, the life and property saving capabilities of residential fire sprinklers is validated once again.

To see how damaging a real house fire can be without residential fire sprinklers visit Home Fire Loss Case Study.

To see real examples of people who have taken action to install fire sprinkler systems in their homes visit Installing Residential Fire Sprinklers Case Study.

The United States Fire Administration (USFA) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) have completed a report, Impact of a Residential Sprinkler on the Heat Release Rate of a Christmas Tree Fire, which demonstrates the value of residential sprinklers on the heat release rate of a dry Christmas tree fire. As a part of this effort, videos are also available of the project’s experiments comparing a dry Christmas tree fire in rooms with and without a sprinkler and the ignition of a dry tree versus a properly maintained tree.

“All Americans must be protected against death, injury, and property loss resulting from fire — especially over the holidays,” said U.S. Fire Administrator Greg Cade. “Residential sprinklers can not only contain, but in most cases, put out a fire even before the local firefighters arrive. Residential sprinklers are able to prevent some of the tragic consequences of the more than 400,000 residential structures fires that occur annually in the United States.”

This report and accompanying videos demonstrate that even under conditions of extreme fire growth, a single sprinkler was able to prevent flashover, control the tree fire, and limit the spread of fire to other objects. In addition, properly maintaining a cut tree is important to retaining high moisture content in the needles of the tree, which will limit accidental ignition and prevent rapid flame spread. A tree that has dry needles can readily ignite with a flaming source and generate heat release rates capable of causing flashover in residential scale rooms.

“This project’s experiments demonstrate that a small amount of water can have a significant impact on a fire,” said NIST fire protection engineer, Dan Madrzykowski. “In the experiments where the tree was maintained, the moisture contained in the tree provides resistance to ignition. In an experiment with a dry tree, a residential sprinkler flowing 9 gallons per minute controlled the fire.”

As fire marshals, fire chiefs, and other fire service officials across the nation are working to promote and advance residential fire sprinklers, the report and videos could be extremely useful tools in demonstrating the advantages of home fire sprinkler systems.

Previously the USFA and NIST illustrated, on video, the dramatic affects of fire when it ignites a dry Scotch Pine tree. This video has been shown on television stations, Internet sites, and in training classes across the nation and around the world for the past several years. As a result of the video’s popularity and success in communicating such an important fire prevention message, multiple requests were made by fire service officials and fire prevention educators to develop this report and videos of the project’s experiments that would document the impact of a residential fire sprinkler system on a similar tree fire.

People at the highest risk of death in home structure fires are the very young and very old, according to the Characteristics of Home Fire Victims report released today by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).

Key findings from the report:

AGE

• In 2002-2005, children under age five were one and a half times as likely to die in a home fire as the general public.

• People age 65 and over were more than twice as likely to die in a home fire and the risk of death increased with age among older adults, with those 85 and over being nearly four times as likely to die.

• The highest risk of non-fatal injury from home fires was faced by people age 20-49 and 75 or over. Risk of injury for adults between 20-34 years old was 30 percent greater than the average person.

• For children 14 and under, heating equipment is the leading cause of civilian fire deaths. Children under the age of five are more than eight times as likely to die in fire caused by playing with heat source than are people of all ages.

GENERAL

• Overall, fire deaths and injuries in home structure fires are down. On average, 2,870 people died in home structure fires annually in 2002-2005.

• In 2005, home structure fire deaths were down 45 percent and injures were down 35 percent, compared to 1980.

• More than two of every five people injured (but not killed) in home fires were trying to fight the fire or rescue someone when they were injured.

• More than one of every three fatal fire victims never wake up before being injured.

GENDER

• Males have a 30 percent higher risk of home fire death than females and an 18 percent higher risk of non-fatal home fire injury.

• Males were more likely than females to be fighting the fire or trying to rescue others from it when injured, while females were more likely than males to be escaping when injured.

REGION/POPULATION

· Rural communities were found to have the highest fire death rates in the nation. In 2006, the highest fire death rates by far were in southern communities with populations under 2,500 people. Comparable areas in the west had the second highest death rate.

CAUSES

· Smoking materials have historically caused the largest number of civilian deaths in home structure fires; however in 2002-2005, heating equipment and smoking materials each accounted for 24 percent of civilian fire deaths. Cooking equipment continues to be the leading cause of civilian fire injuries.

· For children 14 and under, heating equipment is the leading cause of civilian fire deaths. Children under the age of 5 are more than eight times as likely to die in fire caused by playing with heat source than are people of all ages.

· Fire deaths due to smoke inhalation outnumber deaths due to burns.

NFPA offers the following tips on 10 things people can do to be fire-safe at home:

· Watch your cooking

Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, grilling, or broiling food. If you must leave, even for a short time, turn off the stove.

· Give space heaters space

Keep fixed and portable space heaters at least 3 feet from anything that can burn. Turn off heaters when you leave the room or go to sleep.

· Smoke outside

Ask smokers to smoke outside. Have sturdy, deep ashtrays for smokers.

· Keep matches and lighters out of reach

Keep matches and lighters up high, out of the reach of children, preferably in a cabinet with a child lock.

· Inspect electrical cords

Replace cords that are cracked, damaged, have broken plugs, or have loose connections.

· Be careful when using candles

Keep candles at least 1 foot from anything that can burn. Blow out candles when you leave the room or go to sleep.

· Have a home fire escape plan

Make a home fire escape plan and practice it at least twice a year.

· Install smoke alarms

Install smoke alarms on every level of your home, inside bedrooms and outside sleeping areas. Interconnect smoke alarms throughout the home. When one sounds, they all sound.

· Test smoke alarms

Test smoke alarms at least once a month and replace batteries once a year or when the alarm “chirps” to tell you the battery is low. Replace any smoke alarm that is more than 10 years old.

· Install sprinklers

If you are building or remodeling your home, install residential fire sprinklers. Sprinklers can contain and may even extinguish a fire in less time than it would take the fire department to arrive.

By Michael Gardner – San Diego Union Tribune

SACRAMENTO – When the devastating Witch Creek Fire swept through San Diego County last fall, it took with it more than 1,000 homes and cost insurers $1 billion.

But some homes were left standing, from a solitary house in a burned-out subdivision to an entire development.

Why?

In part, the answer lies with homeowners who adopted fire-safe practices, from screening vents to keep out embers to replacing roofs with noncombustible material.

That was the conclusion reached by the Institute for Business and Home Safety – a research arm of the insurance industry – after a lengthy study of 3,000 homes to determine why certain properties survived the Witch Creek firestorm and what can be done to increase protection.

Julie Rochman, the institute’s executive director, said the goal is to provide state officials with sound research as they explore new policies toward the expansion of homes in wildland areas, which now number about five million statewide.

The report included interviews with homeowners and local officials, comparisons of flame-consumed neighborhoods and an analysis of various conditions, from weather to topography.

Importantly, the institute found that wind-blown embers can spark blazes a mile away. As a defense, the institute encourages homeowners to take steps to seal ember paths to attics, replace windows prone to breaking and store combustible materials far away from structures.

Also, homeowners need to be aware of the many potential torches, including seemingly harmless wood fences, bird nests, palm trees, playground sets and hanging plants.

“Those things ended up burning up the houses,” Rochman said.

Of particular note, no homes were lost in “shelter-in-place” communities that had adopted stringent fire safeguards as part of construction and maintenance codes. Those include residential fire sprinklers, boxed eaves, special roofs and a 100-foot clearing of defensible space.

“Not one, not a single house, in the shelter-in-place communities burned,” Rochman said.

The report included a poll of 400 residents that suggested homeowners shy away from prevention because of the potential price tag.

“Unfortunately, the majority of homeowners in the survey believed the most effective wildfire property protection measures are also the most expensive,” according to the report. “This appears to be the biggest stumbling block for convincing them to take action.”

Armed with the new research, the institute has developed a comprehensive checklist for homeowners to follow to minimize fire losses.

Some of the preventive steps are free or relatively inexpensive, such as moving wood that is stacked against the house, cleaning gutters, relocating trestles farther from the house and cutting back vegetation growing under vents and windows.

More expensive fire-prevention measures include installing a new roof, fire-safe deck, dual-pane windows and fire-resistant siding. Replacing wood fences and removing trees that touch homes also are in the recommendations.

The report revealed little new in terms of the need for homeowners to practice fire safety. But it reinforces those arguments with a thorough analysis of the results from an actual firestorm.

“It’s right on point,” said Dave Hillman, chief of law enforcement and fire prevention for Cal Fire. “It reflected everything our firefighters have known for a number of years.”

To read the full article click here.

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