Title: Residential%20Fire%20Sprinklers
1Residential Fire Sprinklers
2What is the leading cause of fire?
3Will we stop responding to incidents?
4Do you know these children?
- Jordan Tinsley Age 9
- John Tinsley Age 7
- Benjamin Tinsley Age 6
- Died early morning June 25, 2007, from a house
fire near Texarkana, Texas.
52007 Year-to-Date Multiple Fatality Fire Deaths
-
- Fires 113
-
- Deaths 431
-
- Adults 197
-
- Children 234
6Fire Death and Injuries in One- Two-family
Dwellings (Percentage of Residential)
- Fire deaths 83
- Fire injuries 74
- Fire property damage 83
- Fireground firefighter deaths 70
- 2004 NFPA
7More Fire Facts
- Young children, older adults, and physically and
- mentally challenged people face the highest
risk of - injury or death in residential fires.
- Too often, people fail to respond appropriately
to - the sound of a smoke detector, because they
- assume it is a false alarm. Rather that
exiting the - building, they search to confirm the existence
of a - fire, wasting the few precious minutes they
may - have to escape.
8Unlike what TV and movies show, only when
sufficient heat is present will a sprinkler
discharge water.
9How safe are you?
- 80 of all fires start in the home. While most
start during the day, most fatal fires occur at
night - Americans suffer an unwanted fire every 10
seconds - Every 74 seconds a fire is of enough magnitude to
call the Fire Dept. - More than 3,000 people died in fires in 2005.
- 19,300 people are injured in home fires each year
- There is a 1 in 200 chance of fire in your home
during your lifetime
10How does time affect the Fire Departments
ability to deliver service?
11(No Transcript)
12How does a home fire sprinklers discharge
compare to a fire hose attack line discharge?
- A residential low flow pendant sprinkler head
delivers approximately 13 to 18 gallons per
minute of water - A fire hose attack line delivers 200 gallons per
minute (this does not include a backup line which
would double the flow of water)
- Sprinkler systems represent a choice, a little
water when the fire starts or a lot of water when
the fire department arrives
13NFPA 13D Sprinkler systems One / Two Family
Dwellings
- Average water usage for sprinklered home - 341
gallons - Average water usage for unsprinklered home 2935
gallons - Average repair costs for sprinklered home 2,166
dollars - Average repair costs for unsprinklered home
45,019 dollars - With both smoke detection and sprinklers,
- death, injury by fire is reduced by 82
14NFPA 13 Systems
- NFPA 13 systems are for commercial occupancies
- Designed primarily for property conservation
- The average sprinkler head discharges 25 to 35
gallons per minute - Sprinkler heads are located everywhere
attics, basements, crawl spaces, closets and
concealed spaces - Systems are designed for the flow of multiple
heads (12-15 on average) - Life safety is a byproduct of the system
15NFPA 13D systems
- Are designed for 1 and 2 family dwellings
- Designed primarily for life safety only but will
contain or frequently extinguish the fire - The average sprinkler head discharges 13 to 18
gallons per minute - Sprinkler heads are located in paths of egress
only bedrooms, hallways, kitchens, dining rooms
and laundry rooms - none in attics, crawl spaces,
closets (size dependent) or bathrooms (size
dependent) - This coverage provides fire protection from 83
of all areas fire originates - Systems are designed for the flow of 1 to 2
sprinkler heads
16Types of Sprinklers
Residential
Commercial
17Where is the sprinkler?
18Multipurpose Systems
- Part of the cold water loop in the house.
- Reduces the chance of freezing.
- Placing back into service after activation
ensures repair. - No additional backflow prevention.
19Are Sprinkler Systems Effective?
20Green Effect
- Reduces the amount of water needed to extinguish
a fire. - Smoke production is minimal
- Natural resources such as lumber is not needed to
rebuild the home
21Myths Facts
- Myth Sprinkler heads activate accidentally
- Fact 1 in 16,000,000 chance of accidental
activation - Myth All sprinklers go off
- Fact Sprinklers react to heat, only those
exposed will activate - Myth Sprinkler heads will leak
- Fact Operate at the same water pressure as
your plumbing but tested 2-3 times higher at
installation - Myth Sprinklers are unsightly
- Fact Sprinklers can be recessed into the
ceiling
22Myths Facts
- Myth Too expensive
- Fact Approx. 1-2 of the homes cost
- Myth They cause water damage
- Fact Damage is substantially less than damage
caused by the fire department if sprinklers are
not present. - Myth Residential fire sprinklers dont save
lives - Fact There has not been a fatality in a home
with residential fire sprinklers in Napa, CA or
Cobb County, GA. Scottsdale, AZ credits
sprinklers for saving 52 lives since 1985 when an
ordinance was enacted.
23Update
- Residential Sprinkler Committee
- NC Fire Marshals Assoc
- NC State Firemens Association
- NC Association of Fire Chiefs
- NC County Fire Marshals Association
- NC IAAI
- NC Building Inspectors Association
- NC Home Sprinkler Alliance Educational
Component - Working to create a new limited license for
plumbers to install and design residential
systems.
24Questions?