Texas Fire Marshal touts life safety benefits of residential fire sprinklers

Texas State Fire Marshal Chris Connealy

A recent article in Insurance Journal reports that, according to data provided by the Texas State Fire Marshal’s Office; “not one person has been killed in a fire in Texas in the past ten years inside an apartment complex that was equipped with a fire sprinkler system…114 people have been killed by fires in apartments not equipped with sprinkler systems.”

The article quotes State Fire Marshal Chris Connealy: “Fire sprinklers save lives,… requiring builders to install fire sprinkler systems in new apartment complexes has greatly reduced the loss of life and property.”

Despite the overwhelming evidence of the life safety, and other benefits, of residential fire sprinklers found in numerous research/reports the State of Texas, among other states, enacted legislation prohibiting local jurisdictions from adopting this minimum life safety requirement in homes.

Compounding evidence about the efficacy of fire sprinklers in multi-family residences, will perhaps convince policy makers that the requirement of fire sprinklers in all new one- and two-family home construction will ensure that people will be protected against the risk of fire death and injury no matter where they choose to live.

Read the article

Comments

[Richard Schulte]

One hundred years ago, sprinkler protection was being touted as a means to protect both life and property. Despite all the evidence that sprinkler protection is a highly effective fire safety measure and can be installed at reasonable cost, there is still opposition to the installation of sprinklers.

When reductions in code requirements permitted when sprinkler protection is provided are considered, the actual cost of sprinkler protection is just pennies per square foot.

The move to eliminate reductions in code requirements when sprinkler protection is provided is a step backward. The concept of "balanced" fire protection being promoted by the manufacturers of passive fire protection products is just a ploy aimed at increasing the sale of passive fire protection products.

The increased use of sprinkler protection not only saves the lives of civilians, but also provides protection for fire fighters. Cost reductions due to fewer fire fighter fatalities and injuries need to be taken into account when considering the actual cost of providing sprinkler protection.

It appears that the public is not ready to accept sprinkler protection in 1- and 2-family dwellings. That's OK-we need to continue to make the case. Change takes time. We've been working at this for over 100 years-just a little more patience is required. We're almost there.