By Barbara Scott
Staff Writer
“It’s on the horizon and people need to be thinking toward the future,“ said Caribou Fire Chief Roy Woods, “residents need to be aware of the fact that this will eventually become a law.” Chief Woods was speaking in reference to a code in the NFPA 101 publication regarding a law that requires all new residential constructions to be equipped with sprinkler systems.
This style of residential sprinkler head is installed above the ceiling designed so only the flat disc is visible within the surface. When fire heats the disc the spring-loaded mechanism drops down opening the water valves, which in turn begin to spin distributing water in a circular motion.
Although listed in the newest National Fire Prevention Association’s code book, at this time the ordinance is exempt within the state. However Chief Woods is sure that in the very near future it will encompass Maine as well.
“Fire moves extremely rapidly,” stated Woods, “smoke detectors may or may not awaken occupants — but many times the detectors don’t react quickly enough to ensure people get out soon enough. Smoke detectors are necessary in structures but sprinklers are one more tool to ensure the safety of the occupants.”
According to Chief Woods when residents rely on smoke detectors only in the case of a fire to alert then the following scenario may unfold. When a sleeping person is awakened by the sound of a smoke detector going off, at first they may not be clearly awake being unsure of what they heard — an alarm clock, a phone? By the time they become fully awake the first instinct is to awaken others; by this time 3 to 4 minutes have passed and the temperature of the fire is at 800 degrees, upon getting out of bed and standing the airways are burned and the individual passes out.
Woods commented it is mandated that sites such as grocery stores have sprinkler systems yet 75 percent of fires are residential and with more than 3,000 fire deaths nationwide it seems that we don’t worry about ourselves at night. “When both smoke alarms and sprinklers are in place in a home the risk of dying in a fire is reduced by 82 percent,” stated Chief Woods. The cost of a sprinkler system in a new construction is an estimated 75 cents per square foot — less than the cost of a granite countertop.
Although sprinkler installations in new residential construction is not a mandate in Maine at this time, 12 larger cities have already incorporated it into their city ordinances.
Chief Woods reminds area residents that two years ago, it became a city ordinance in Caribou (the only municipality in Aroostook) that sprinklers be installed over heat sources such as furnaces, wood stoves, etc. that are placed in a new construction or where they have replaced older models in an existing structure. Recommended other sites are over a clothes dryer and kitchen stoves (in the big picture the origin of fires occurring in a home is the kitchen).
This type of residential sprinkler head has a small wire covering protecting the activation glass as well as serving as a safety precaution against personal injury.
There is no permit from the city necessary for those who decide to install sprinkler heads in their existing homes. Woods stated that it is a fairly simple project and individuals can do it themselves or have a plumber to do the work. He also said that homeowners can install up to six sprinkler heads on their current supply line that provides water to the structure.
“In 1975,” said Chief Woods, “the average escape time from a fire in the home was 17 minutes, with the materials used in some of today’s new homes — that time has been reduced to three minutes —15 percent get out alive.”
“Construction today is not as good as it used to be,” Woods continued, “manufactured trusses with nail plates fail within five minutes of flames reaching an attic — you cannot wake up, get up and alert the kids in five minutes — you don’t have a chance.” Woods also cited PVC (plastic) piping used as an alternative to the more costly copper pipes as a big factor in these statistics as this material, when heated gives off cyanide gasses.
Initially many insurance agencies were weary of sprinkler systems due to water damage costs but have come to realize that there is more water damage when a fire department has to battle an engulfed structure than if the sprinklers had attacked the blaze first.
“A residential sprinkler head uses 8 to 10 gallons of water per minute,” said Woods, “our smallest fire hose uses 140 gallons in that same minute. Overall water, fire and smoke damage costs to a home with residential sprinkler heads on an average is $2,300 — in that same structure, without a sprinkler head system, the damage would average $45,000.” When a home is destroyed in a fire the community tax base is also affected due to loss of revenue in the form of taxes previously received from that property.
Chief Woods noted that this campaign is growing and with developers and contractors faced with the options of building fire ponds or putting in hydrants at a site or installing the sprinkler heads, many recognize the positive side of this system as more cost effective as well as providing better results in the case of a fire. In 2005 there were 192 permits given out to install residential sprinklers in new home constructions; in 2007 that number had increased to 225.
“Eighty percent of all fire deaths occur inside the home, “said Chief Woods, “ I am 100 percent sure that the only way we are going to save lives is to have people install these sprinkler heads. In some areas of the state, homeowners spend $1,000 or more on lawn sprinklers but won’t consider having a system installed inside their homes.” So far this year the Caribou Fire Department has responded to 99 fire calls — the total amount of loss from these fires is $605,000.
Residential sprinkler heads allow for as many as four water lines to be attached on a single unit.
He also stated that the members of the Maine Fire Chiefs Association agree this is the only way to cut down on fire deaths while at the same time reducing the cost of fire departments within Maine’s communities. Sprinkler heads used along with working smoke detectors in the home create a better chance of people escaping a blaze.
Chief Woods reminds those individuals from schools, organizations or other groups within the CFD coverage area that he would gladly provide a Power-Point presentation discussing the benefits of residential sprinkler heads as well as information on installment options, companies which can design the home system.
Anyone wishing to schedule this presentation should contact Chief Woods at the Caribou Fired Department at 493-4204.
Aroostook Republican photos/Barb Scott
Caribou Fire Chief Roy Woods stands beside a display of residential sprinkler heads that are available to be installed within a private home. It is not at this time a state law that these sprinkler heads be installed in new home construction but it is a Caribou city ordinance that anyone installing any type of heat source such as a furnace or wood stove, in a new home must have a sprinkler in place above the source. Anyone replacing an old furnace or other heat source in an existing structure must also have the sprinkler head in place.
Residential sprinkler heads are activated in a variety of ways. In this particular model, the thin glass tube contains a liquid which when reaching a specified temperature during a house fire will break allowing the water valves to open.
