Residential Fire Sprinkler Live Fire Demonstration Oct. 8
by Sublette County Unified Fire
October 3, 2016
(Pinedale, WY) -Sublette County Unified Fire has scheduled a very important fire safety educational activity that will be held on October 8th at 12:30 PM during the annual Fire Department Open House in Pinedale.
To help Sublette County residents understand how dangerous home fires truly are and to inform them of the steps they can take to stay safer, Sublette County Unified Fire will be presenting a dramatic sideby-side fire and sprinkler burn demonstration at the Battalion 1 - Pinedale Fire Station, located at 130 South Fremont Avenue in Pinedale.
Sublette County Unified Fire received financial support from the Wyoming Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition to bring this important event to Sublette County. Firefighters built two structures to simulate the room and contents of a typical home. Each room contains common furnishings, window treatments and a working smoke alarm. One of the rooms will have a residential fire sprinkler system installed so the audience can see the life-saving difference this vital protection makes when fire strikes.
"There's nothing like the heat and smoke of a real fire to help people understand just how fast a home fire is," says Fire Chief Shad Cooper. "With our side-by-side comparison, we can show both the danger of fire and the value of having a fire sprinkler system installed."
This dramatic, yet safe, form of education has become increasingly popular with fire departments across the country. Residents will see firsthand why a typical home fire can become deadly in three minutes or less.
As part of our annual Fire Department Open House, Sublette County Unified Fire will have firefighters and fire trucks on hand from 11:OO AM - 2:00 PM. The fire demonstration will begin at 12:30 PM and last approximately 30 minutes.
In addition to the Residential Fire Sprinkler Live Fire Demonstration, there will be free fire truck rides, hamburgers and hotdogs (free-will donations accepted), a raffle ticket drawing, and fire prevention & public safety information.
"By providing this unique live fire comparison, people not only gain an appreciation for the power of fire, they also realize what an incredible advantage it is to have a fire sprinkler system installed if fire breaks out," says Fire Chief, Shad Cooper.
Following an emergency call, it takes 9-12 minutes, on average, for a fire department to arrive on the fire scene in city limits. By that time, a fire in an unsprinklered home will have spread, causing smoke and heat damage and threatening the lives of the residents. Local and national fire safety experts agree the widespread use of home fire sprinkler systems could save thousands of lives per year.
In a sprinklered home, the fire gets under control right away, limiting damage and protecting residents and first responders. Here are some other facts about home fire sprinkler systems:
- Fire sprinklers are supplied by household water- usually off the water main. Just like ordinary plumbing, sprinkler system piping is hidden behind walls and ceilings. The sprinkler heads are positioned so they can only be seen in ceilings or up high along certain walls.
- Sprinklers are activated only by the high temperature of a fire - typically between 135'-165'F. Burned toast or other smoke cannot set off a sprinkler; neither can a smoke alarm that activates. Sprinklers are designed to flow between 10-25 gallons of water per minute. That's about 10-15 times less water flow than fire department hoses, and under far less pressure. By operating while a fire is still small, a sprinkler controls or extinguishes a fire, slowing the spread of poisonous smoke and deadly heat. That fast and effective action gives family members more time to get out safely, saving lives. And, the sprinkler confines the fire damage so that surrounding rooms are protected, saving valuables.
Free information is available about home fire sprinklers from the Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition Web site. To learn more about this life-saving technology and to see video clips and animations that answer common questions, visit HomeFireSprinkler.org. You can even read about real-life fires where sprinklers saved lives.
Sublette County Unified Fire is proud to work in partnership with the Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition and bring this important educational opportunity to Sublette County. If you're building a new home, renovating, or thinking of buying, take a few minutes to learn how you can add this life-saving fire safety option.
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