Side-by-Side Fires to be Set by NH Fire Sprinkler Coalition

PORTSMOUTH, NH - "Sometimes people just need to see it to believe it," said Stephen Gallagher, chairman of the Coalition.

That's why the NH Fire Sprinkler Coalition & the Eastern States Building Officials Federation will intentionally light two fires in front of a live audience on Tuesday, April 12, 2016 at 2:30 p.m. at the parking Lot opposite the Sheraton Conference Center, 250 Market St. in Portsmouth.

"There's nothing like the heat and smoke of a real fire to help adults and children understand just how fast a home fire is," said Gallagher. "With our side-by-side comparison, we can show both the danger of fire and the value of having a fire sprinkler system installed."

his dramatic, yet safe, form of education has become increasingly popular with fire departments across the country.

On April 12, NH residents will see firsthand why a typical home fire becomes deadly in three minutes or less. The NH Fire Sprinkler Coalition built two structures to simulate the room and contents of a typical home. Each room contains common furnishings, window treatments and a working smoke alarm. Only one of the rooms contains a fire sprinkler. The Portsmouth FD will have firefighters and fire trucks on hand as well.

“By providing this unique live fire comparison, people not only gain an appreciation for fire power; they also realize what an incredible advantage it is to have a fire sprinkler system installed if fire breaks out,” said Gallagher.

Many people already understand how vital it is to have working smoke alarms to warn us of a fire. But home fire sprinklers are not as well known or understood. That’s one reason why the nonprofit Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition (HFSC) secured a federal Fire Prevention & Safety Grant to develop a free kit to help fire departments build and present side-by-side fire and sprinkler burn demonstrations in their communities. Following an emergency call, it takes 9-12 minutes, on average, for a fire department to arrive on the fire scene. By that time, a fire in an unsprinklered home will have spread, causing smoke and heat damage and threatening the lives of the residents.

ocal and national fire safety experts say widespread use of home fire sprinkler systems could save thousands of lives per year. In a sprinklered home, the fire gets under control right away, limiting damage and protecting residents and first responders. Here are some other facts about home fire sprinkler systems:

Fire sprinklers are supplied by household water – usually off the water main. Just like ordinary plumbing, sprinkler system piping is hidden behind walls and ceilings.

The sprinklers are positioned along the piping and can be seen in ceilings or up high along certain walls.

Sprinklers are activated only by the high temperature of a fire – typically between 135°-165°F.

Burned toast or other smoke cannot set off a sprinkler; neither can a smoke alarm that activates.

Sprinklers are designed to flow between 10-25 gallons of water per minute. That’s about 10-15 times less water flow than fire department hoses, and under far less pressure.

By operating while a fire is still small, a sprinkler controls or extinguishes a fire, slowing the spread of poisonous smoke and deadly heat.

That fast and effective action gives family members more time to get out safely, saving lives.

And, the sprinkler confines the fire damage so that surrounding rooms are protected, saving valuables.

Free information is available about home fire sprinklers from our web sites. Visit firesprinklerinitiative.org/state-coalitions/new-hampshire.aspx and homefiresprinkler.org/ to learn more about this life-saving technology and to see video clips and animations that answer common questions. You can even read about real-life fires where sprinklers saved lives.

Submitted by The NH Fire Sprinkler Coalition