May 16-22, 2021 is Home Fire Sprinkler Week, an educational program carried out annually in the U.S. and Canada. The Week unites the fire service and safety advocates in an effort to increase awareness of home fire dangers to civilians and responders, and to provide information about installing fire sprinklers in new homes. Co-Sponsored by the Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition (HFSC) and the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Fire Sprinkler Initiative, the week emphasizes the dangers of home fires to residents and firefighters, and promotes the importance of building new homes with automatic fire sprinklers.

Today’s theme is: Fire is Fast!

DEADLY IN 2 MINUTES OR LESS
Most fatal structure fires happen at home. Most are at night when people are sleeping. A home fire can become deadly in two minutes or less. That’s not much time. Could you wake up, realize you’re in danger and make your way to a safe exit in under two minutes? Could your children?

Fires in new homes are deadlier today. Common unprotected lightweight building material and flooring burns faster and fails quicker. Our furniture and belongings are made of synthetics that create deadly smoke when they burn. An uncontrolled house fire grows quickly. The hot, deadly smoke travels room to room. It can take lives in just seconds.

Home fire sprinklers detect a fire and control it automatically. The sprinkler puts water on a fire while it’s still small. That keeps heat, flames, and poison smoke from spreading. Having fire sprinklers gives you, your family, and your pets time to get out safely. If you plan to build or buy a home, ask for fire sprinklers. Home Fire Sprinklers Save Lives!

Home Fire Sprinklers - Quick Facts
• Home fire sprinklers can control and may even extinguish a fire in less time than it would take the fire department to arrive on the scene.
• Only the sprinkler closest to the fire will activate, spraying water directly on the fire. In 84% of home fires where the sprinklers operate, just one sprinkler operates.
• If you have a fire in your home, the risk of dying is cut by about one-third when smoke alarms are present (or about half if the smoke alarms are working), while automatic fire sprinkler systems cut the risk of dying by about 80%.
• In a home with sprinklers, the average property loss per fire is cut by about 70% (compared to fires where sprinklers are not present.)

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Learn more at HomeFireSprinkler.org
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