Residential Fire Sprinklers

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

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

3. 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

4. Myths versus Facts • Myth: Home fire sprinklers will make houses unaffordable • Fact:Cheaper than carpet upgrade, paving a stone driveway, or a whirlpool bath

5. 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

6. 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.

7. Myth versus Fact Myth:A smoke alarm provides enough protection Fact: Smoke alarms only alert occupants, but do nothing to extinguish the fire

8. Fire and Life Safety Initiatives Market the life safety feature of residential fire sprinklers

9. 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

10. 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