The nonprofit Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition (HFSC) announced that the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation (NFFF) and the National Volunteer Fire Council (NVFC) have joined its all-volunteer Board of Directors. Chief Ron Siarnicki, executive director of NFFF, and Chief Kevin Quinn, chairman of NVFC, will represent the groups on the Board.
“Our Board of Directors is pleased to welcome the NFFF and NVFC to the table,” says HFSC Board President Lorraine Carli. “We look forward to having the benefit of these national groups’ leadership, experience and expertise. The constituents of both these groups recognize the life-saving benefits of home fire sprinklers and are important resources to help educate others.”
The NFFF works to honor and support the families of fallen firefighters, and to reduce firefighter injuries and fatalities. Fire sprinkler advocacy is among the NFFF’s Firefighter Life Safety Initiatives.
The NVFC represents the interests of the volunteer fire, EMS, and rescue services nationally, and provides resources and advocacy for first responders.
Other members of the HFSC Board include: American Fire Sprinkler Association, Canadian Automatic Sprinkler Association, FM Global, International Association of Fire Chiefs, National Association of State Fire Marshals, National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), National Fire Sprinkler Association, Phoenix Society for Burn Survivors, State Farm Insurance, Underwriters Laboratories, and U.S. Fire Administration/FEMA.
Since 1996, HFSC has focused exclusively on noncommercial education about the dangers of home fires and the unparalleled life-safety benefits of installing home fire sprinklers. More than 90 percent of all U.S. structure fire deaths occur in the home, and 85 percent are in one- and two-family homes (NFPA). These structures are also most lethal for responding firefighters. Supporting the public awareness activities of the fire service by creating and providing free educational tools remains key to HFSC’s mission.
From its earliest days, the fire service has been a core partner to HFSC and its Board of Directors reflects diverse fire service perspectives. As the Coalition has grown, this commitment has deepened to include the BUILT FOR LIFE Fire Department (BFLFD) strategy to increase the number of fire departments making home fire sprinkler education a focus in their service areas.
HFSC offers a comprehensive library of teaching tools developed for a wide range of audiences. All HFSC materials are available at no charge on its website. Follow HFSC through your favorite social media outlets: Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and LinkedIn.