Chief Fire Officer Promotes the campaign for Domestic Sprinklers and Hosts a Demonstration and Seminar

13/01/12

You can view footage taken on the day as part of the BBC's Inside Out Programme on our Sprinkler Demonstration page.

Derbyshire's Chief Fire Officer and Chief Executive, Sean Frayne hosted a Domestic Sprinkler Demonstration and Seminar at the old Fire Station, Chesterfield and the b2net Stadium on the 12 January 2012. Invited guests included key individuals who are responsible for decisions relating to new buildings in Derbyshire. The aim of the event was to highlight the benefits of having sprinklers fitted in domestic dwellings and to influence the future decisions of the invited guests.

Guest speakers at the seminar included, the TV presenter and long-time advocate of the benefits of sprinklers, Nick Ross and Caroline Tucker. Caroline suffered 75% burns in a house fire in 1988 trying to save her sister. Other specialists in the field of fire prevention and sprinkler systems were also in attendance.

Two live demonstrations were carried out to show the effects of a fire in a house with and without a sprinkler system fitted. Photographs taken on the day clearly demonstrate the huge benefit of having sprinklers fitted compared with the total devastation caused in the unprotected building.

Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Service is working to highlight the benefits of having domestic sprinkler systems fitted to all new domestic dwellings and is working with all its key partner organisations and local authorities to this aim. We are all striving to highlight the effectiveness of domestic sprinklers to the wider public.

Sprinklers can provide the ultimate protection to human life, property and the environment virtually eliminating fire deaths, reducing injuries by at least 80%, reducing property damage by 90% and substantially reducing damage to the environment from fire. Domestic sprinklers will not only warn of a fire but also act immediately to control it, even when no one is present.

Derbyshire's Chief Fire Officer, Sean Frayne said: "From 2010 to present, 18 people have died as a result of fires in Derbyshire and 70 people have been injured in the period 2010 - 2011. A fire in the home, whatever the cause, can have a devastating effect on families and leave communities mourning, yet the risk to human life in fires can be minimised by having sprinklers fitted."

"On average, Derbyshire is currently losing one person per month as a result of fire and this is not acceptable."

"Having sprinklers fitted into your house is like having a Firefighter in every room. Sprinklers are available immediately to respond should there be a fire, and will act immediately to supress the fire and prevent its spread. Within 5 minutes the fire can be supressed to the size of a waste paper bin."

Sprinklers are not expensive and can be compared with the cost of buying new carpets and curtains. The cost will vary dependant on location, complexity, the number of sprinkler heads required and the available water supply. Multi installations, such as apartment blocks may be fitted with sprinklers at a much reduced cost as companies are able to install several systems in one visit.

Contrary to popular belief, sprinklers are not prone to going off accidentally. Sprinklers are heat activated and statistically there is more chance of winning the lottery than a sprinkler discharging accidentally.

Derbyshire Fire & Rescue Service is promoting the Think Sprinkler Campaign which coincides with the national Sprinkler Campaign. You can complete the e-petition in support of domestic sprinklers or download a copy of the Think Sprinkler booklet by following the link on our Think Sprinkler page.

You can download a copy of this press release below.

Note to Editors

Pictures taken at the event are available in the gallery below. Click on the image to view a larger version.