NFPA and Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition announce week of action to address America's home fire problem

FALLBROOK – Home fires claim the lives of seven people each day. Home fire sprinklers can help eliminate these tragedies, but legislative barriers and a general unawareness of this technology have prevented its use in new homes. America’s fire service and safety advocates will be able to take action in unison to raise national awareness of a fire sprinkler’s life-saving ability.

Fire Sprinkler Initiative, a project of National Fire Protection Association and the Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition are initiating Home Fire Sprinkler Week, May 19-25. This project tasks safety advocates across the U.S. with hosting simultaneous events promoting home fire sprinklers. While raising awareness of the home fire problem, these events will also underscore the life-saving impact of fire sprinklers and legislative barriers to its use. The aim is to have the fire service and other safety advocates host at least one sprinkler-related activity throughout the same week in all 50 states.

“The alarming number of home fire deaths and injuries each year should be on the radar of every decision maker and member of the media,” Lorraine Carli, NFPA vice president of outreach and advocacy and HFSC president, said. “Through these events, we hope to illuminate the fire problem and its solution on a national scale. Fire sprinklers have been a U.S. model building code requirement since 2009, yet challenges to its adoption still exist. Taking action collectively will send a powerful message that fire sprinklers are widely accepted and must be embraced in every state.”

It is expected that events will also take place in Canada and the U.K.

Taking action with these possible activities, including hosting a side-by-side live burn and fire sprinkler demonstration or conducting a fire department open house featuring fire sprinkler information and sprinkler riser display.

The event’s webpage outlines ways to take action and resources. Visit http://www.NFPA.org/FireSprinklerWeek for more information.

The risk of dying in a home fire decreases by about 85% if sprinklers are present.

When sprinklers were present, fires were kept to the room of origin 97% of the time.

In the event of a fire, typically only the sprinkler closest to the fire will activate, spraying water directly on the fire, leaving the rest of the house dry and secure. Roughly 89% of the time just one sprinkler operates.

HFSC was formed in 1996 to inform the public about the life-saving value of sprinkler protection in one- and two-family homes. HFSC is a purely educational, nonprofit organization and the leading resource for independent, noncommercial information about home fire sprinklers. For more information about HFSC and home fire sprinklers, visit http://www.homefiresprinkler.org.

Founded in 1896, NFPA is a global, nonprofit organization devoted to eliminating death, injury, property and economic loss due to fire, electrical and related hazards. The association delivers information and knowledge through more than 300 consensus codes and standards, research, training, education, outreach and advocacy; and by partnering with others who share an interest in furthering the NFPA mission. For more information, visit http://www.nfpa.org. All NFPA codes and standards can be viewed online for free at http://www.nfpa.org/freeaccess.

Submitted by National Fire Protection Association.