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Residential Fire Sprinklers

International Residential Code Change for 2011Provides fire safety sprinklers in 1 & 2 Family Dwelling

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Cost factor

New construction only commencing 1-1-2011Costs vary by area but estimate is less than$1.00 per square foot-new construction

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History of Success Scottsdale Arizona over 40K homes for

the last 20 years Prince Georges County Maryland Save lives nationwide Save firefighter’s lives Offset risk of premature building collapse

from lightweight construction Reduce property loss caused by fires

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Myths versus Facts Myth: Home fire sprinklers will make

houses unaffordable Fact:Cheaper than carpet upgrade,

paving a stone driveway, or a whirlpool bath

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Myth versus Fact Myth: Home sprinklers often leak or

activate accidentally Fact:Elaborate plumbing system that

where installed properly and maintained will create very low risk of leaks. History shows us for the last 50 years, the risk is very remote for leaks

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Myth versus Fact Myth: When a fire occurs, every

sprinkler head will activate Fact: In the event of a fire, only the

sprinkler head over the fire will activate with less water damage than a fire hose delivering 5 times the amount of water.

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Myth versus Fact

Myth:A smoke alarm provides enough protectionFact: Smoke alarms only alert occupants, but do nothing to extinguish the fire

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Fire and Life Safety Initiatives

Market the life safety feature of residential fire sprinklers

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Fire and Life Safety Initiatives Use fire data to sell your point e.g.

3,000 people plus die in residential fires per year

Fires losses are in the tens of billions Insurance premiums can be reduced Use local data on saves versus

losses

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Fire and Life Safety Coalition Successes:

Smoke alarms/carbon monoxide detectors

Fire safe cigarette Ban on novelty lighter sales to juveniles Can residential sprinklers be next? It is another battle in our effort to win a

war on life safety