Sprinklers May Be Required in North Carolina
Monday
The code change would require residential fire sprinklers in new one and two family homes and townhouses that are three stories high or 3,600 feet.
This code change is, in part, a response to the recent fire in Ocean Isle Beach that took the lives of seven college-age students.
But safety has a price. To put a sprinkler system in a large house would cost about $30,000, and fire officials worry with a price tag like that they're bound to hear opposition from developers.
From next week's meeting, the idea will have to go to a public hearing and then to the state legislature. If the proposal does get passed, you won't see sprinklers in new homes until 2009.
Since 2004 in North Carolina 112 people have lost their life in residential fires. In this same time 19,655 residential structures have been damaged or destroyed causing an estimated 210 million dollars in damages."
Of course, that $30,000 price tag is over-inflated to scare away any chance the idea might have to pass through the state legislature. But... anything is possible. What is important is the statistic at the end that talks about the number of lives lost and the total cost of the damage done by fire.
Fire sprinklers would have prevented most, if not all, of those losses.
Labels: Fire Safety News, Fire Sprinkler News
Fire Sprinklers Protect Condo in Myrtle Beach
Thursday
According to ABC News Channel 15 in Myrtle Beach: "A sprinkler system was vital in preventing what could have been a bad fire.""At 1:00 Wednesday afternoon, a small fire ignited in the trash collection room of the Avista Ocean Front Resort in North Myrtle Beach."
"'The fire ignited due to a discarded cigarette, carelessly tossed into the garbage of a condo unit, and then placed in the trash chute,' said North Myrtle Beach Fire Department Capt. Les Wiliamson."
"One automatic fire sprinkler head located within the trash collection room activated due to the heat, and extinguished the fire. Another fire sprinkler system head located within the vertical trash chute activated and prevented any extension up the trash chute. The trash chute's automatic fire door was released and sealed the vertical shaft, Williamson reported."
"Firefighters arrived on scene to find the steel waste collection container scorched and blackened, but no other damage."
"'Firefighters made sure the fire was out and turned off the water to that portion of the fire sprinkler system,' Williamson said. 'Within 30 minutes, the fire sprinkler contractor was on site to replace the fire sprinkler heads, and reset the fire sprinkler system.'"
"Williamson added, 'Fortunately, the garbage had been removed from the condo unit before it had a chance to ignite a fire within the unit itself. This is a good example of the job fire sprinkler systems perform daily around the country of saving lives and property, and negating the need for firefighters to risk their lives in buildings not equipped with fire sprinklers.'"
"The fire happened in the ground floor of the 300 unit complex. Williamson said two sprinkler heads must be replaced as well as the garbage cart at an estimated cost of about $100-plus labor."
"The quick extinguishing of this fire is a great example of how fire sprinklers save lives every day, Williamson stressed, and how they could have saved the lives of firefighters in Charleston earlier this summer."
"'Sadly, if the codes in place during construction of the Sofa Super Store in Charleston, had required fire sprinkler systems,' Williamson said, 'There would most likely be nine brave Charleston Firefighters reporting for duty today.'"
Labels: Fire Sprinkler News
Arizona Considering Fire Sprinkler System Requirement
Friday
But homeowners could see other savings where it matters most: life and property. Homeowners who have sprinklers experience about $40,000 less damage than homeowners who don't, according to a 15-year study done by the Scottsdale Fire Department. Once sprinklers were triggered, they stopped fires 93 percent of the time."
Read the rest of the article here.
What I found interesting in the article was the line where it says "according to a survey of two large insurance companies, the discounts would take years to equal the extra cost."
The interesting fact is that adding fire sprinklers to a residence is one of the only, if not only, additions that you can make to your house that will pay you back. Even if it's over a long period of time, you will save money. Nearly everything else in your house can depreciate over time. Sprinklers actually save you money on insurance payments - which is like money in the bank.
If you need a fire sprinkler system installed in your house, you can find a company through ConstructionDeal.com. Our network of sprinkler companies will call you to bid on the job, which save you plenty of time from searching at random in the phone book. And multiple bids means you may also save money. It's a free service and we're waiting to help on any residential or commercial job.
Labels: Fire Sprinkler News
Fire Sprinkler Recall Notice
Wednesday
The following recall was announced by the associated press on June 12, 2007:
About 300,000 Globe Model J Series dry fire sprinklers, manufactured by Globe Fire Sprinkler Corp., because the heads can deteriorate and fail to work during a fire. The company has received five reports of sprinklers failing to work during a fire.
Details: by phone at 800-248-0278; by web at http://www.globesprinkler.com or http://www.cpsc.gov.
Labels: Fire Sprinkler News
