firesprinkler.tv Fire sprinkler

By Andrew Gaug

The St. Joseph Fire Department

As the arctic cold front quickly approached Edmond last Wednesday, residents of the Villas at Stonebridge slept in their warm apartments. Little did some of them know that a fire earlier in the evening could have put them out in the cold.

When the call came in from the apartments, at 157 Stonebridge Boulevard, west of Boulevard and south of 33rd Street, fire crews rushed to the complex on a reported cooking fire, said Edmond Fire Maj. Mike Barnes. However after firefighters arrived, they were told a single fire sprinkler head had extinguished the fire, Barnes said.

‘Welsh law’ to require builders to install sprinkler systems in all new homes in Wales has won the support of MPs after a request by an AM.

The Welsh Affairs Committee said the assembly should be given powers to require builders to install sprinklers.

It followed a request for the legislative competence order (LCO) from Vale of Clwyd AM, Ann Jones.

The move now opens the way for a draft order to be introduced in parliament, which is expected in the new year.

If approved, the powers would be devolved to the assembly, and new legislation could be drawn up over fire sprinklers by politicians in Cardiff Bay.

“This is the best Christmas present I could wish for,” said Ms Jones.

In a day when the green movement and sustainability have become priorities, the use of hydraulic calculations is more important than ever. Reducing pipe sizes saves materials and the energy needed to produce those materials. While the savings are usually not enough to justify the inclusion of a pump where not otherwise needed, hydraulic calculations are almost always economical in situations where a pump is to be provided anyway.

Much of the world still uses pipe schedule systems, where each pipe size is permitted to serve a specific number of downstream sprinklers. For example, the original 1896 edition of what is now

In May, fire swept through a beloved Roseville restaurant, putting a dozen people out of work.

A month later, a blaze at a Roseville apartment complex left several people homeless.

The causes differed, but both fires shared a common characteristic

Approximately 40 homes in Cheshire are already equipped with fire suppression sprinkler systems, but that number was increased recently when a development was completed in town and local fire department authorities are applauding the action.
“There are certain criteria that has to be met to require residential sprinklers,” explained Cheshire Fire Chief Jack Casner. “But the majority of fire deaths occur in one and two family homes.”
In 2007, there were more than 400,000 residential structure fires that resulted in more than 2,600 deaths and nearly five times as many injuries. With over $7 billion worth of fire damage caused nationally in 2007, Casner believes those numbers could have been greatly reduced if residential sprinklers were prevalent in many homes.
“This could be the answer because new or old houses still burn,” Casner said. “Sprinklers can bridge the lag time from the call to our arrival on the scene. Sprinklers help keep the fire in check and a family could escape.”
Local developer Phillip Bowman recently completed “Cook Hill Crossing,” a three-lot subdivision off of Cook Hill Road. He installed sprinklers in each one of the homes and consulted with the fire department throughout the entire process. He had the option of extending the water mains and installing fire hydrants, but because of the deep access to one of the homes, sprinklers would have been required anyway, Bowman said. The sprinklers are not noticeable from the walls or ceilings because the heads are covered with a plate and will only shoot out when the temperature hits 135 degrees.
According to the United States Fire Administration, adding a sprinkler system in new construction could cost between $1 and $2 a square foot. For a 2,000 square foot home, a system would cost an additional $2,000 to $4,000. For homeowners, insurance benefits can be obtained by having fire suppression sprinklers. Bowman said it “wasn’t overly expensive” to add the sprinklers, but added that it “wasn’t cheap either.”
“It’s not that big of a deal from an installation standpoint, there are just extra costs,” Bowman said. “However, (the cost) is not really a (project) killer.”
Casner said Bowman was “one of the first developers to talk specifics” with the department, which proved to be beneficial during the process.
“There are still a lot of myths out there about sprinklers, like, if one goes off they all go off soaking the entire house. That’s only in Hollywood.” Casner explained. “Sprinklers might not extinguish the fire, but they buy time to get you out of the house. They save lives.”
Fire Marshall Jeff Boland said sprinkler systems are a “big deal” and are second to residential fire safety only to smoke detectors. Boland explained that there were currently no federal or state building codes or mandates for developers to install sprinklers, but a change could be on the horizon. An addition in 2008 to the International Residential Code requires new one or two family homes to be equipped with fire suppression sprinklers, but the state is still relying on the 2003 regulations, Boland explained. There is a contingent of lobbyists against the regulation and believe it should be voluntary, not mandatory, to install the sprinklers.
“It’s always been voluntary,” Boland said. “It’s not a law, it’s just a standard.”
Casner said that, when a new home is being constructed, owners usually think of the niceties, such a marble counter tops and hardwood flooring, but for a fraction of that price, sprinklers could be installed and might save their lives. Casner said sprinklers are required in schools, hospitals, museums, and other commercial buildings, but doesn’t understand why they couldn’t be installed in residential properties.
“There are so many options and things to spend money on, people should think about spending the money on sprinklers,” Casner said. “Most structure fires are residential, so sprinklers provide another level of comfort. For what they cost, it’s a relatively small price to pay.”
Bowman added that anytime an addition like sprinklers is added to a home, the cost is built into the sale price or “the builder eats it.” He said he has heard of potential changes to the code and hoped that people would educate themselves on residential sprinkler systems before making decisions.
“The costs are passed on but, at the same time, looking at the big picture, all it takes is for someone’s life to be saved and it will all be worth it,” Bowman said. “At the end of the day, that’s what really matters. They are being put in for a good reason.”

The National Fire Sprinkler Association has joined the United States Green Building Council as a corporate member, affirming its commitment to promote green construction and environmental responsibility among building trades. Fire sprinklers help to reduce the carbon footprint of properties through the entire cycle of construction. They reduce carbon dioxide emissions from fires, reduce the amount of burned or non-recyclable building materials going to landfills, save energy on rebuilding after fire, conserve water, and reduce diesel fuel usage in heavy fire suppression equipment.

The National Fire Sprinkler Association has joined the United States Green Building Council (USGBC) as a corporate member, affirming its commitment to promote green construction and environmental responsibility among building trades.

Fire sprinklers help to reduce the carbon footprint of properties through the entire cycle of construction. They reduce carbon dioxide emissions from fires, reduce the amount of burned or non-recyclable building materials going to landfills, save energy on rebuilding after fire, conserve water, and reduce diesel fuel usage in heavy fire suppression equipment.

“Although codes may not require fire sprinklers in certain size buildings, fire sprinklers must be in all green construction projects to truly reflect this designation,” said Dominick G. Kasmauskas, NFSA’s New York Regional Manager and a member of USGBC. “I ask you - how can a green building, including single-family homes, be considered ’sustainable construction’ if it is positioned to burn someday without the benefit of an automatic fire sprinkler system to suppress smoke and save materials?”

Kasmauskas said fire sprinklers have been used in property since 1875 and, due to the current green movement have only recently been touted for their positive impact on the environment.

The United States Green Building Council is a nonprofit membership organization with a vision of a sustainable built environment within a generation. Its membership includes corporations, builders, universities, government agencies, and other nonprofit organizations. USGBC is dedicated to expanding green building practices and education, and its LEED