Designers urged to consider sprinklers
Tuesday 20th October 2009, 2:29PM BST.
The Dorset Fire and Rescue Service brought its sprinkler demonstration vehicle to Guernsey yesterday. (Picture by Adrian Miller, 0859612)
He was speaking at a demonstration yesterday in conjunction with ARC Fire Safety Ltd and Dorset Fire and Rescue. More than 50 Housing officers, architects and builders attended the event at the fire station.
Mr Queripel said both Guernsey and Jersey’s fire services wanted to promote the use of sprinklers.
‘The past two or three deaths caused by house fires would not have happened if there was a sprinkler system,’ he said.
Sprinklers help confine a fire to one room. People have a 97% chance of surviving a fire where there is a sprinkler system and so far no one in the UK has died as a result of a blaze in a building with a working system.
The demonstrations were carried out in a van modified by the Dorset Fire and Rescue Service.
Watch manager Steve Underhill said the service was keen to promote fire safety wherever possible – last year, there were 13 deaths caused by house fires in Dorset.
‘Having a sprinkler in your house is like having a firefighter with you 24 hours a day,’ he said.
- To read Guernsey Press stories in full click here for subscription details. Individual editions are now available online.
Campaigns
Voice For Victims
Voice for Victims is a campaign aimed at promoting the rights of those affected by child sexual abuse.
This is Guernsey
Guernsey Press
They work a treat but you need the water pressure.
Report abuse
Evidence suggests that where a fire sprinkler system has been fitted, fire deaths have almost been eliminated, fire injuries reduced by over 80% and a significant improvement in firefighter safety achieved. In addition, property damage has been reduced by over 80% and where sprinklers are fitted there is a considerable reduction in the volume of water taken from service mains by the Fire and Rescue Service for fire fighting. In addition, there is less damage to the environment both in respect of the products of combustion liberated and the volume of contaminated water generated. The burden of fire on society is also lessened.
The Government has taken action to make homes more sustainable; recognising that the nation’s aging demographic means the status quo is inadequate for future requirements. We see that sprinklers are part of that sustainability.
Current evacuation procedures for both home and workplace safety are becoming less appropriate as people live longer and work to an older age and combined with other diversity issues do not always possess the ability to evacuate so easily. Therefore, making premises safer at source appears to be an appropriate method of improving fire protection in both the home and workplace.
In this challenging economic environment, mitigating loss would be far more prudent than paying for and replacing damage. I recognise that the Government faces challenges to supporting more proactive fire safety measures – measures that will undoubtedly save lives, prevent injuries, save millions of pounds for our economy and be a positive statement for mitigating climate change by supporting positive steps to protect our environment.
Sprinkler technology has been available for 155 years and yet we still see catastrophic fires in buildings and structures throughout the nation, often with multiple fatalities. We must ensure that the lessons from these tragedies are learnt.
Report abuse