On average, 2,500 people each year are dying in U.S. home fires. Further showcasing the enormity of this problem is that roughly 80 percent of all fire deaths are the result of home fires – FireSprinklerInitiative.org
The NFPA Fire Sprinkler Initiative, the Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition, and the Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition-Canada are celebrating Home Fire Sprinkler Week from May 19-25 in an effort to raise awareness about the importance of home sprinkler systems and attempting to dispel the many myths involved.
In Australia, the need for residential fire sprinkler systems came into focus following the inquest into the 2012 Bankstown Fire where tragically, Connie Zhang lost her life and Ginger Jiang was injured attempting to escape from their fifth-floor apartment window. One of the conclusions found following the inquest was that the addition of fire sprinklers would have decreased the intensity of the fire, and, could have, allowed for the two women to escape. The NCC 2019 (May 1st) has begun to address this issue with the update requiring buildings 4+ storeys or >25m to have a sprinkler system installed.
Without regulations requiring sprinkler systems to be installed in residential buildings in conjunction with smoke alarms, home sprinklers are unlikely to become normal practice until the broader community understands how beneficial a sprinkler system can be in the event of a fire – not just to you and your family, but to the environment and the rest of your property too. Learn more about home sprinklers in the US and Australia using the links below.
Educational Resources:
Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition | US
Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition | Australia