Although we are all familiar with the lifesaving benefits of fire sprinklers, we do not spend too much time reviewing the reduction in injuries that these systems also provide. The advantages are many and injury reduction shouldn’t be overlooked. Several recent Canadian studies have highlighted these benefits, from reducing the rate of injuries, to their severity, to reducing firefighter injuries. …
Recent announcements from both the Canadian and U.S. governments have placed high importance on the need to increase the stock of affordable housing. In Canada, the Trudeau government has announced a further 4,500 units and $1.5 billion in funding. In the United States, the Biden Administration is proposing 100,000 additional affordable housing units over the next three years. Residential fire …
More than 80 percent of Canadian firefighters serve in volunteer departments. These highly trained and qualified professionals respond from unstaffed fire halls, at all times of the day and night, with travel times that vary with geography. You and your loved ones have as little as 90 seconds to safely evacuate once the smoke alarm sounds. After you and your …
In 2010, FM Global, the international insurer and fire research organization, released a study that highlighted the fact that residential fire sprinklers were an important element of green technology for modern homes. The study analyzed the results of full-scale burns of a typical North American home that was protected with fire sprinklers and without. The results were edifying: Greenhouse gas …
When you move into a home protected with home fire sprinklers, you may find that your sprinkler installer left valuable information about the care and maintenance of the system. This may include a placard attached to the riser or valve assembly in your home. HFSC’s Living With Sprinklers kit is very helpful. It provides details about the system, how it …
In discussions with fire-service personnel and other people across Canada about home fire sprinklers, one consistent theme that emerges is the need for greater education to dispel the many myths and misconceptions. In the past, effective means to educate builders, fire-service personnel and home owners or home buyers have included side-by-side burns and other public events. But COVID-19 has required …
Determining adequate water supplies for fire fighting is essential prior to approval of projects. Under the National Building Code (NBC), all Part 3 buildings require separate verifications done for required fire flows. Part 9 buildings are addressed during subdivision planning. In Canada, municipalities rely predominantly upon the Fire Underwriters Survey (FUS) calculations for determining the needed flows for new subdivisions. …
New home designs combined with highly combustible contents have created a perfect storm of increased risk to occupants and firefighter sin the pas 20 years. Unprotected, pre-engineered floors fail more quickly in fire conditions. Modern contents have changed compartment-fire dynamics such that flashover can occur within minutes. The burning of modern contents produces products that are more toxic than those …
For those new to residential fire sprinklers, it is beneficial to understand how the NFPA 13D standard fits into the regulatory framework. NFPA 13D has been around for more than 45 years and is constantly being reviewed, tweaked, and republished to reflect the latest in technology and our lived experiences with fires. In Canada, the national or provincial building codes …
Perhaps the greatest hurdle fire service professionals face in increasing the acceptance of home fire sprinklers is the number of myths circulating about them. Some of these are due to the movie and television industry showing the hero escaping a fire because all of the sprinklers activate at once. Other myths are the result of people perpetuating misconceptions like smoke …
