NFPA's "Fire Sprinkler Initiative: Bringing Safety Home" provides resources for the fire service and other sprinkler advocates who want to demonstrate the need for home fire sprinklers in their community.
NFPA's "Fire Sprinkler Initiative: Bringing Safety Home" provides resources for the fire service and other sprinkler advocates who want to demonstrate the need for home fire sprinklers in their community.
About NFPA
The mission of the international nonprofit NFPA, established in 1896, is to reduce the worldwide burden of fire and other hazards on the quality of life by providing and advocating consensus codes and standards, research, training, and education.
Meet Our Bloggers
Jim Shannon, NFPA President
Maria Figueroa, Regional Manager, Fire Prevention Field Office
The views expressed on this blog reflect the personal opinion of the individual author and do not necessarily represent the views or policies of NFPA, its technical committees, or other constituent parts. Use of this blog is subject to NFPA's Terms of Use and Content Disclaimers.
In the spirit of the holidays I would like to share something submitted by Andrew Barr, Senior Fire Systems Engineer of the McKinney, Texas fire department:
T'was the night before Christmas, And all through the house, Everyone was sleeping, even the mouse. When all of a sudden, there appeared some light smoke, Then the smoke alarm sounded and everyone woke Off in the distance, a fire began to grow When all of a sudden, it started to slow, Then what to my wondering eyes did appear? A group of firefighters, in full turnout gear! And I heard one exclaim to the others with a shout "THIS HOME HAS SPRINKLERS, THE FIRE IS OUT! As they drove away, they were all full of cheer, Knowing that fire sprinklers work every day of the year!
A special thanks to Andrew Barr for this contribution in the interest of fire safety. A special thanks to all the advocates in the field who work all year to keep communities safe from fire. Your passion and your dedication do not go unnoticed.
As we gather with loved ones to enjoy the holiday season, one family will not be able to enjoy theirs because it will serve as a painful reminder of what happened in the early hours of December 25th, 2009. A home fire resulted in the death of two grandchildren. An excerpt from Irv and Cathy Bailey's story from the Faces of Fire campaign below:
December 24, 2009, was the start of what should have been a perfect holiday for Irv and Cathy Bailey. Their large suburban Louisville house was filled with visiting family. Their two sons, daughter-in-law and two grandchildren, 12-year-old Solon and 10-year-old William "Liam," brightened their home with holiday joy.
In the early hours of Christmas morning, the noise of a smoke alarm roused Irv out of bed and down the hall to the kitchen, where he was startled by flames erupting in the adjacent dining room. Disoriented, Irv’s first impulse was to fight the fire himself. But as the flames got larger and began to spread, he quickly realized this wasn’t an option. From that point, Irv recalls little but chaos as he yelled for his wife and family.
Frantic and confused, Cathy got turned around numerous times trying to exit the home. Cathy recalls, "I went outside. We were screaming for the boys to get out. I went downstairs and busted open glass to get our youngest son out. He was lying in bed. I was watching him from the window, screaming for him to get up, and he did not hear. Finally, after I started breaking glass, he woke up and came around." Meanwhile Irv and his other son, the father of the boys, were making frantic attempts to reach the children trapped upstairs.
“There was just an explosion of smoke that filled the house so quickly,” Irv says. “I would get halfway up the stairs and it was just too hot, and I couldn’t get to them.” From the outside, you could hear the boys’ desperate cries.
When the fire department arrived, they couldn’t even attempt to go upstairs. The upper floors had collapsed into the basement and the house was destroyed.
Irv and Cathy Bailey were hospitalized due to smoke inhalation and abrasions and released from the hospital the next day. Three firefighters were also injured in the blaze. Solon and William died.
“Our smoke alarms worked, and the fire department was automatically summoned by our security system. Even with our alert systems working properly, we couldn’t save the boys. The experts tell us that there would have been no loss of life if we had fire sprinklers.”
The exact cause of the fire remains unknown. But one thing is clear to Irv and Cathy – residential fire sprinklers would have made a life-saving difference. In renovating their new home, Irv and Cathy are adding a fire sprinkler system.
This holiday season, let us remember all home fire victims and their families.
State Farm has posted a video on You Tube in support of home fire sprinklers. The video, professionally produced and narrated, features a side-by-side demonstration sponsored by the Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition and conducted during Fire Prevention Week in Normal, Illinois.
State Farm has always supported home fire sprinklers as an organizational member of the Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition. The video reinforces its position and mentions the discounts provided its customers when sprinkler systems are installed in their homes.
The insurance issue comes up often during the home fire sprinkler requirement debate. Opponents cite the myth that insurance rates will go up if fire sprinkler systems are present in the home. Advocates now have an official position from the largest homeowner insurance underwriter, to present as evidence and refute this myth.
The Minnesota State Fire Marshal Division has just released The Residential Fire Sprinkler Challenge, its newest fire safety game, on its website. It is a sixteen question game that educates the public about residential fire sprinkler systems.
The Fire Sprinkler Challenge developed by Sprinkler Plan Reviewer Ralph Peterson and Public Educator Becki White asks pertinent questions in the areas of; common misconceptions, water requirements, maintenance, and other miscellaneous points.
What a great innovative way to raise awareness on home fire sprinklers. Way to go!
If you conquer this one, check out their first fire safety game - Fire Marshal Challenge, which has questions on smoke alarms, cooking, and general fire safety.
Firehouse.com e-mailed all its members, urging them to take action to support home fire sprinkler requirements in their states.
Citing statistics on the U.S. fire problem the missive states; “Many home fire deaths and injuries could be prevented through the increased use of fire sprinklers.”
The communication highlights NFPA’s Fire Sprinkler Initiative®: Bringing Safety Home (FSI) and Faces of Fire, a new FSI campaign “designed to put a face on the life-saving impact of home sprinklers. With funding from the U.S. Fire Administration, this campaign features real people telling personal stories to demonstrate the need for sprinklers.”
Princella Lee Bridges, from Greenville, SC is one of many who shared their stories for the Faces of Fire campaign. She ran back into her burning home, changing her life forever. I met Prencilla while attending a home fire sprinkler workshop in South Carolina. She is truly an inspiration and a brave soul.
We also appreciate anyone who takes stock in FSI and the Faces of Fire campaign, and reach out to increase awareness. Thank you Firehouse.com!
The non-profitHome Fire Sprinkler Coalition recently released their latest educational tool on home fire sprinklers. The three minute video provides all the information consumers and homebuyers need to learn the life-saving facts about sprinklers. The video was recently sent to thousands of members of the fire service to be used as part of their ongoing public education efforts. Here is the video for viewing, a link to download it for your own use and HFSC's quick overview of this new resource.
People want the truth about home fire sprinklers. Here it is.
Homebuyers and other consumers are confused. They’re reading a lot of bunk, and getting scared by anti-sprinkler groups. They need the truth about home fire sprinkler systems from someone they trust – you.
We’ve created a new brief presentation specifically to help you give your jurisdiction the facts.
We know you’re up against a lot of challenges. We’re here to help. And HFSC’s BUILT FOR LIFE FIRE DEPARTMENT Program gives you extra benefits, so why not sign up? You’ll receive national recognition, special opportunities and educational support. Visit HomeFireSprinkler.org where you can read our newsletter, visit our blog and sign up to become a BUILT FOR LIFE™ Fire Department.
