By Ken Robinson
FireRescue1 Staff
BALTIMORE — Building codes mandating fire sprinklers in new one- and two-family homes were upheld as the International Code Council voted Wednesday to disapprove a motion to remove them.
Representatives from the IAFC, IAFF, NFPA and other organizations gave testimony in support of the existing rules mandating sprinklers as the council met in Baltimore.
“Most Americans who die in fires die where they live,” said USFA Deputy Administrator Chief Glenn Gaines. “In addition to saving the lives of building occupants, residential sprinklers significantly reduce the risk that residential fires pose to firefighters.”
While Gaines went on to cite supporting statistics, other testimony included impassioned pleas.
“On what basis would we look to step backwards from this point?” said Jeff Johnson, president of the IAFC.
After a seven to four vote and a majority of the ICC audience in opposition to the motion to remove mandatory sprinklers from the guidelines, the moderator was met with cheers as he said “that motion clearly fails.”
Advocates in the home sprinkler debate were so numerous at the hearing that organizers were warned by the Baltimore Fire Department that the event was becoming a fire hazard by exceeding maximum occupancy of the building.
An estimated 1,500 supporters of fire sprinklers were in the audience, according to Ronny Coleman, president of the International Residential Code Fire Sprinkler Coalition.
“This is a watershed day for the American fire service that people will look back on 100 years from now,” said Coleman.
The IRC Fire Sprinkler Coalition was formed 3 years ago to unify the fire service to put together a coalition in support of sprinklers, and took the lead role in gathering the supporters.
Coleman described the supporters as a diverse crowd that included firefighters, fire prevention officers, citizens, sprinkler makers and others.
“The challenge now is to determine how to incorporate residential fire sprinklers as part of our overall toolbox to protect our communities,” said Coleman.
Statistics show that nationally, residential fire sprinklers cost approximately $1.61 per-square-foot of finished space, or one percent of the value of the home to install, according to the National Fire Sprinkler Association. This cost is expected to account for approximately $3,500 to $5,000 of the price of a new home.
“Over a 30-year mortgage, that’s less than the price of a cup of coffee per week. This is a big win for the fire service and American residents. In order to reduce this country’s fire problem, it must be attacked where fires happen the most, which is in the home,” said John Viniello, president of the association.