Fire Chiefs Introduce Campaign to Educate New Yorkers on Home Fire Sprinkler Use

The New York State Association of Fire Chiefs (NYSAFC) has launched a multi-media campaign aimed at educating New Yorkers about the life-saving benefits of installing home fire sprinklers in their residences. The campaign is part of a grant initiative funded by FEMA’s Assistance to Firefighters Fire Prevention & Safety Grant Program.

View a public service announcement developed as part of the campaign here.

According to NYSAFC Executive Director Jerry DeLuca, nearly 80 percent of all fire deaths nationwide are the result of home fires. "On average, more than 100 New Yorkers die in house fires each year. Sadly, most of these deaths would have been prevented if the victims were living in a property with home fire sprinklers. The bottom line: we need to get the message out that home fire sprinklers save lives. That’s why we launched this campaign."

DeLuca noted that the campaign is aimed at dispelling many of the myths on sprinkler use, including that they are costly to install. He said a recent report commissioned by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) found that the average cost to install fire sprinklers in a new home is $1.35 per square foot of sprinklered space. While housing costs vary from region to region, the overall cost of home fire sprinklers ends up being around one percent of the total new build cost.

"In many cases, new home buyers are spending more per square foot for granite countertops in their kitchens than it would cost to add fire sprinkler protection throughout their home," said NYSAFC President Dan Schwertfeger. "We firmly believe if home buyers are made aware of the cost benefit of home fire sprinklers they will opt to have them installed. This is especially true when they learn that new homes and the contents contained in new homes burn eight times faster than older homes and older furniture."

Schwertfeger said that most people believe that newer homes are safer homes. This is another myth, as newer homes tend to have larger open spaces, lightweight construction materials, and furniture stuffed with combustible materials – all factors that can cause fire to spread faster, leading homes to burn much quicker. Modern lightweight home construction products, especially wood truss roof systems and engineered wood joists, can fail under fire conditions, and are an extreme risk to firefighters.

"The bad news is that research has shown that home fires can become deadly in as little as three minutes," added NYSAFC Past President Don Corkery. "The good news is we can do something about that. By installing sprinklers you can cut the risk of dying in a home fire by more than 80 percent. That is why we will continue to educate homeowners, and continue to push for the adoption of home fire sprinkler requirements."

For more information on home fire sprinklers, please visit NYSAFC’s Home Fire Sprinkler Advocacy & Awareness Toolbox here.