A Guide for Local Officials

A Growing Trend Nationwide
Home fire sprinkler systems are being installed in thousands of one and two-family homes each year in communities throughout the country. This trend is the result of communities passing ordinances, developers taking advantage of trade ups and homeowners requesting sprinklers as an option.

More Than 3,000 Lives Lost Every Year
The fire problem in the U.S. is overwhelmingly a home fire problem: 80% of all fire deaths in 2006 occurred in the home*. Any improvements in overall fire safetymust be improvements in home fire safety, and no strategy has asmuch documented life safety effectiveness as installed fire sprinklers.

Homes Burn, Whether New Or Old
Few fatal home fires involve installed features of homes; they usually involve occupant actions and errors in combination with the vulnerabilities of products brought into the home. Expanded use of synthetic material along with other modern contents and furnishings provide a powerful fuel source.

Fire Sprinklers Make Up For Human Error
Fire sprinklers provide a level of protection that no other fire safety technology can offer. By responding to a fire while it is still small, sprinklers control the spread of deadly heat, flames and toxic smoke.

HFSC Board Members
American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA)
Canadian Automatic Sprinkler Association (CASA)
Home Safety Council
International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC)
National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
National Fire Sprinkler Association (NFSA)
State Farm Insurance
Underwriters Laboratories (UL)
U.S. Fire Administration

HFSC education programs are supported by the Fire Prevention and Safety Grant funding through the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.