Survey Shows Home Fire Sprinklers May Be Next Generation in Fire Safety

Although residential sprinkler systems have been available for many years, most homeowners don't know it. That's according to a national survey recently conducted by the nonprofit NFPA, which showed that while most respondents (92%) thought sprinklers were an effective tool for protecting people from fire, only half knew that they could be installed in their own homes. According to NFPA, that lack of understanding has, in part, limited the rate at which Americans have become safer from home fires over the past several years.

"It's encouraging to see that almost everyone understands how effective fire sprinklers are, and that many people would consider putting them in their own homes," says Meri-K Appy, NFPA's vice president for public education. "But until more people recognize sprinklers as a realistic option for their homes, the benefits of this life-saving technology will continue to go under-utilized, and so will its impact on the public."

Sprinklers can reduce heat, flames and smoke, often containing or even extinguishing a fire before the fire department arrives at the scene. In fact, smoke alarms and sprinkler systems together reduce fire death rates and property damage by 82%.

To increase public awareness about home fire sprinklers, NFPA co-founded the Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition (HFSC) with the American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA) and the National Fire Sprinkler Association (NFSA). Over the past few years, HFSC has worked to educate the public about sprinklers+ ability to protect people and property, and to debunk common myths about sprinklers, including their likelihood of accidental discharge and high costs. According to HFSC, the odds of accidental sprinkler discharge due to manufacturing defects is one in 16 million. In addition, recent technology breakthroughs have made sprinklers more affordable and easier to install in homes: Nationally, on average, they add only 1% to 1.5% of the total building cost in new construction.

"Slowly, more people are beginning to realize that sprinklers are an accessible, cost-effective option for their families," says Gary Keith, chair of HFSC. "As more people become educated about sprinklers, we anticipate that they will eventually be a commonplace feature in most homes."

In fact, communities that have started requiring home fire sprinklers have witnessed dramatic reductions in local fire death rates. With the majority of U.S. fire deaths occur in homes, Mr. Keith concludes that widespread use of residential fire sprinklers is the key to making society much safer from fire.

For more information about residential sprinklers and home installations, call the HFSC, toll-free (888) 635-7222 or visit the Coalition's Web site at www.homefiresprinkler.org

Also See:

Awareness and Perceived Effectiveness of Home Fire Sprinkler Systems

Consideration of Home Fire Sprinkler System Installations

Degree of Trust Concerning Information About Home Fire Sprinkler Systems

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