Did Sprinklers Save a House From a Massive Wildfire?

from 

A photograph showing a home with a green lawn surrounded by charred land is real, but the back story accompanying it is incomplete.

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CLAIM

An image shows a house that was saved from a fire by sprinklers.

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In October 2017, amid story after story about historic wildfires burning across the United States and Europe, a photograph appeared showing a house with a seemingly untouched green lawn surrounded by acres of charred land, along with the claim that the house had been spared from a wildfire thanks to the homeowner’s decisions to leave the sprinkler system running as they evacuated the area:

This image is real, but the accompanying caption does not tell the entire story. This picture was first posted to the Kansas National Guard Facebook page on 7 March 2017, along with several other images showing the view from four Blackhawk helicopters as they worked to suppress one of the biggest fires in Kansas history:

Four Kansas Army National Guard Black Hawk helicopters continue helping with fire suppression in Reno County, Kansas, on March 7. On March 6 more than 33,000 gallons of water were dropped on the fire.

When Danielle Tajchman, the owner of the house, came across the Kansas National Guard’s photograph, she took to social media to add some context to the image. Tajchman said that she had been generously watering her grass for weeks to please her pet cows and that she left her sprinklers running when she evacuated her home as the fire approached:

I just came across this online, it’s my house!!! I honestly feel like we have our silly cows to thank! We have had our sprinklers running overtime for several weeks because the cows love eating our lawn and since we haven’t fixed the fence yet we figured with the nice weather we may as well try to grow them grass while they’re in there!

Although Tajchman may have left her sprinklers running during the wildfire, that was not the only source of water protecting her home. Dough Schmitt, the assistant fire chief of the Rile County Fire District, also commented on the Kansas National Guard photograph, explaining that a few of his firefighters had soaked down the property:

I am the assistant fire chief for Riley County Fire District #1 in Manhattan Kansas. I am very proud of my firefighters who stood strong as the fire raced up to them while they were protecting this house. They first checked the house to make sure nobody was still home then they soaked the house and the detached garage behind the house that isn’t surrounded by green grass. They left as the fire raced by heading to the next house they could find.

Tajchman confirmed this version of events in an 11 March 2017 article published on Kansas.com:

“We did not leave our house until 7:15 p.m. (Monday) and the video sent to us by a neighbor of our property burning was taken at 7:30 p.m.,” Tajchman wrote in an e-mail on Saturday.

“During that 15 minutes, God blessed us in the form of two Riley County firemen who showed up, made sure no one was in the home and then proceeded to soak everything they could in more water.

“Just as they ran out of water, the fire reached our back shed and they had to leave,” she wrote. “Upon reaching the end of our driveway, they set a back-burn in an attempt to stop the fire, which was successful for five minutes before jumping the road north of us.”

Tajchman acknowledged that her well-watered lawn and cows may have provided some resistance to the fire, but said that the firefighters were the true heroes of the story:

So sure, our silly cows and our wet lawn helped, but these two are the real heroes to whom we will be forever grateful.

We have been able to personally thank the men that saved our home (and cows and baby chicks).

Residential sprinkler saves Habitat Humanity home from dangerous grease fire

from wect.com

Tuesday, January 3rd 2017, 2:24 pm PSTTuesday, January 3rd 2017, 2:25 pm PST

By: Connor DelPrete, Reporter

CONNECT

 

A residential sprinkler put out a dangerous grease fire at a house built by Habitat for Humanity. (Source: WECT)

WILMINGTON, NC (WECT) -

The call came into the Wilmington Fire Department at 7 p.m. about a grease fire at a home built by Habitat for Humanity.

By the time crews responded to the incident, the fire had been put out. A residential sprinkler installed at Carol Tyson's home took care of the dangerous flames.

"I just knew that this whole kitchen was just going to blow up, that's how bad the fire was it was just up in the air all the way to the ceiling," said Tyson. "Before we can do anything the sprinklers came on."

Tyson said she was cooking fish and took a quick trip to the bathroom. Minutes later she said her husband started yelling her name. That's when she saw the flames. But as quick as the fire started, the sprinklers put them out.

The water drenched the kitchen, putting out the flames and saving a home that means the world to Tyson. Her family moved into the home in 2011 as part of the Habitat for Humanity program.

"I was here when this house was built, I helped build this house," said Tyson. "It's just a warm feeling because I know it's mine." If not for the sprinkler, Tyson said she would have lost that feeling.

The damage from the flames resulted in an estimated $350 worth of repairs, mostly from water damage. Assistant Fire Chief Frank Blackley said it's a small price to pay compared to the money you could lose without a residential sprinkler.

"Where you see may see some damage would be because of the water but if you have the fire you are going to have problems through the entire home," added Blackley.

Blackley said his department typically sees much more severe damage/injuries in these situations if residential sprinklers aren't installed. Blackley added the most cost-effective time to put sprinklers in are during initial construction of the house. It can get more expensive if you have to make repairs after the house is built.

Copyright 2017 WECT. All rights reserved.

Jonathan Offord wins national fire sprinkler competition

from  contractormag.com

• The competition began June 11 with 140 apprentices sitting for a written examination
• The top seven apprentices won expense-paid trips to compete in the national competition
• AFSA's Annual National Apprentice Competition was created to promote apprentice training and give recognition to the apprentices

Front Row (LtoR): Apprentice Competition Chairman Don Kaufman, Kaufman Fire Protection, Albuquerque, New Mexico; John Cowger, Rapid Fire Protection, Inc., Rapid City, South Dakota; Logan Moser, Mutual Sprinklers, Tyler, Texas; Donald Stone, Western Fire Protection, Inc., Poway, California. Back Row (LtoR): Thomas Adams, J.G. Tate Fire Protection Systems, Poway, California; Joseph Mientkiewicz, SimplexGrinnell, Rochester, New York;  Gregory Schneider, Superior Fire Protection, Tulsa, Oklahoma;  Jonathan Offord, Commonwealth Fire Protection, Leola, Pennsylvania.

DALLAS, TX - Jonathan Offord, a fire sprinkler fitter apprentice with Commonwealth Fire Protection inLeola, Pennsylvania, took first place and a $5,000 cash prize at the American Fire Sprinkler Association's (AFSA) 23rd Annual National Apprentice Competition. The contest was a featured event during AFSA's 30th Annual Convention & Exhibition, A Grand Ole Opportunity: AFSA in Nashville, held September 14-17 in Nashville, Tennessee. More than 1,200 attendees watched as seven apprentices constructed and pressure-tested a miniature sprinkler system in the jam-packed exhibition hall.

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The competition began June 11 with 140 apprentices sitting for a written examination proctored at testing sites throughout the United States. The top seven apprentices won expense-paid trips to compete in the national competition, held during AFSA's Annual Convention & Exhibition. During the competition, participants took another, more thorough written examination and then installed a steel and CPVC sprinkler system. The systems are pressure-tested and participants were graded on accuracy, craftsmanship and safety.

Logan Moser with Mutual Sprinklers in Tyler, Texas won second place and a $3,000 cash prize and Joseph Mientkiewicz with SimplexGrinnell in Rochester, New York took third place and a $2,000 prize. Honorable mentions and $1,000 prizes were awarded to: Thomas Adams, J.G. Tate Fire Protection Systems, Poway, California; John Cowger, Rapid Fire Protection, Inc., Rapid City, South Dakota; Gregory Schneider, Superior Fire Protection, Tulsa, Oklahoma; and Donald Stone, Western Fire Protection, Inc., Poway, California. Competition winners also received a commemorative plaque, cash prizes and tools.

Started in 1994 by the late Robert L. (Bob) McCullough, then chairman of the Education & Apprenticeship Committee, AFSA's Annual National Apprentice Competition was created to promote apprentice training and give recognition to the apprentices who are actively enrolled in the AFSA Apprenticeship Program. Over 20 years later, the competition continues to bring fire sprinkler apprentices from AFSA local chapter and member training programs from all corners of United States together in the association's foremost showcase of excellence in training among future industry leaders. For more information, visit firesprinkler.org.

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How a sprinkler system can save your life during a house fire

from wtnh

By Noelle GardnerPublished: October 11, 2016, 7:09 am  Updated: October 11, 2016, 5:42 pm

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WEST HAVEN, Conn. (WTNH)– We’ve got your back on keeping safe at home in case of a fire. It’s National Fire Prevention Week and Tuesday West Haven firefighters and students team up to show just how fast a fire can spread.

The West Haven fire marshal is trying to educate people about the importance of fire sprinklers in the home. As part of an educational program, Tuesday there will be a live, side-by-side fire and sprinkler burn demonstration. At West Haven High School, students built the model display homes. One has fire sprinklers. Both will be put to the test.

Firefighters want to show people how quickly fire spreads in today’s new homes and how quickly home fire sprinklers can extinguish fires. Fire Marshal, Keith Flood says he wants future builders to understand the need for fire sprinklers in homes.

“With a smoke detector alone you have a fifty percent chance of surviving a house fire. With a smoke detector and a sprinkler system you have an 80 percent chance. So there’s a big difference in there of getting out of a home alive with a sprinkler system versus just a smoke alarm,” said Flood.

Flood says fire sprinklers react quickly, he says sprinklers can dramatically reduce the heat, flames and smoke produced in a fire. Flood says people should take advantage of life saving technology. He wants sprinklers to be required in every new construction.

Every home can have fire sprinklers installed. And if you’re buying a home and it’s being built from the ground up, ask the builder about installing a sprinkler system inside your home.

Fire sprinkler helps control structure fire caused by cigarette

from rgj.com


Jose Olivares, Reno Gazette-Journal4:12 p.m. PDT July 18, 2016

The Reno Fire Department responded to a reported structure fire at 895 Kuenzil Street at 3:43 a.m.

The fire started in a third floor apartment from a carelessly discarded cigarette. The fire caused moderate fire damage but was contained to the living area by an activated fire system.

The two sleeping occupants who were home at the time of the fire escaped without injury. 14 tenants of the apartment complex were temporarily relocated by the American Red Cross.

According to the National Fire Protection Association, if you have a fire in your home, the risk of dying decreases by 82 percent when fire sprinklers are present. Statistics show fire sprinklers can stop a fire in less than 90 seconds.

Although there were no injuries reported on this incident, The Reno Fire Department would like to remind everyone smoking materials (cigarettes, cigars, pipes, etc.) are the leading cause of fire deaths in the United States, and to take necessary safety precautions.

Christie extinguished legislation requiring life-saving fire sprinklers in new homes

from njtoday

by Staff Report • July 5, 2016 • 0 Comment

For more than 20 years, states have quickly adopted most building safety features blessed by the Washington-based nonprofit that recommends minimum codes for the nation but that’s not what happened after the International Code Council decided in 2008 that every new American home should have fire sprinklers.

Housing industry trade groups poured money into lobbying and political contributions. Their well-to-do members strong-armed local officials or dazzled them with hometown projects.

Their efforts set out a playbook for how influential business interests are winning in state capitals across the country. The housing industry spent more than $517 million on state politics in the last decade, second only to lawyers, according to numbers compiled by the National Institute on Money in State Politics.

To date, industry groups have helped block efforts to make sprinkler systems mandatory in new homes in at least 25 states. Only California and Maryland, along with dozens of cities, have adopted the International Code Council’s recommendation and required the devices.

ProPublica published a detailed investigation of how the fight played out in South Carolina.

The New Jersey legislature passed bills requiring residential sprinklers in 2014 and 2015, both times with roughly 60 percent majorities in each chamber.

The first time Gov. Chris Christie vetoed the bill by not signing it. The next time, he issued a conditional veto, stripping the legislation of its central component, the mandate.

The author of both measures, Assemblyman John Wisniewski, a Democrat from Sayreville, headed up the transportation committee investigating the governor’s involvement in the Fort Lee lane closure scandal.

After Christie blocked his bill a second time, Wisniewski said he couldn’t “help but wonder if he burned the bill because he doesn’t like the sponsor.”

Wisniewski called the veto by Christie, who raised money from housing industry donors both as a candidate and head of the Republican Governors Association, “a slap in the face to a community of public safety officials who have endorsed, supported and fought for this legislation.”

In his veto message, Christie said he rejected adding thousands of dollars to the cost of new homes as “citizens continue the struggle to rebuild their lives after Superstorm Sandy.”

He did, however, request that state officials review the cost of requiring sprinklers in townhomes, where fires can more easily jump from one unit to the next.

His spokesman denied that any animosity between the governor and the bill’s sponsor played a role in the veto, although it was Wisniewski who led the investigation into Christie’s Bridgegate scandal, which tanked his presidential ambitions.

In 2015, the state’s builders and Realtors spent almost $748,000 lobbying — which together ranks them sixth in spending.

NDP embark on speedy agenda to install fire sprinklers in seniors lodges

DARCY HENTON, CALGARY HERALD
More from Darcy Henton, Calgary Herald

Published on: May 8, 2016 | Last Updated: May 8, 2016 8:48 PM MDT

Alberta Minister of Seniors and Housing Lori Sigurdson, centre, cuts the ribbon at the opening of Kingsland Terrace in Calgary on April 29, 2016. SUPPLIED / POSTMEDIA

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The province will install fire-suppression sprinklers in 50 prioritized government-owned seniors lodges this year and another 50 over the two following years, Seniors Minister Lori Sigurdson vowed Tuesday.

The NDP government has allocated $30 million this year and another $30 million over the next five years to install sprinkler systems in government-owned seniors lodges and continuing-care facilities deemed at highest risk.

“We’re confident we’ll get it done,” Sigurdson said in an interview. “We want to move quickly on this. The safety of seniors is a priority for this government.”

She said many of the province’s 6,600 seniors lodges and continuing-care facilities were built in the 1960s and ’70s before the building code required the installation of sprinkler systems.

“We are in tough economic times, but I think this is a good indication of what is important to us,” Sigurdson said. “We are supporting seniors and making sure they are safe.”

Concerns were raised about the safety of seniors residences after a fire at a Quebec seniors lodge killed 32 elderly residents in 2014.

Sprinklers installed in the living units of seniors facilities help suppress fires and give seniors with mobility issues more time to evacuate.

Most of the 24,000 seniors housing units in Alberta also aren’t fully equipped with fire suppression sprinkler systems because they weren’t required under the building code until 1990.

While the provinces of Ontario and Quebec have made sprinklers mandatory in all seniors facilities — government and non-government — Alberta has made no move to require privately operated facilities built before 1990 to install them.

“We’re focused right now on ensuring we meet timelines to upgrade the identified facilities, but after that’s complete we’ll assess to see what next steps we need to take,” Sigurdson said.

Ministry spokesman Timothy Chu said the government is focusing on facilities deemed most in need based partly on the mobility of senior residents as well as the facility’s proximity to fire departments.

Chu said there have been many challenges in installing the sprinkler systems in older facilities in small communities.

There are no architectural drawings or floor plans for some buildings, and some facilities don’t have sufficient water pressure, he said.

“A lot of these facilities . . . have asbestos and lead in them, so contractors have to deal with that before being able to do a lot of these renovations,” he added.

The government has created a performance measure in its three-year ministry business plan that calls for 65 per cent of the 100 top-priority seniors lodges to be equipped with sprinkler systems by the end of this fiscal year, 80 per cent by the end of the following year and 100 per cent by 2018-19. 

“When appropriate fire and safety mechanisms exist within facilities, residents’ safety and survival is much improved,” says the document.

Liberal Leader David Swann applauded the government’s commitment to protect seniors.

“I am very pleased they are moving ahead with it,” he said. “It’s an essential part of taking care of our seniors and it’s a government responsibility, especially in publicly funded homes, to make sure that those are in place as quickly as possible.”

PC Leader Ric McIver noted that his government launched the sprinkler installation program, but he said there’s an onus on the management and staff of the facilities to make sure seniors are safe.

“For the homes that are waiting for the fire suppression systems, I am hopeful that the management and staff there are prepared to assist seniors as required if something occurs before the systems are in place,” he said.

McIver said he hoped extra staff training and fire preparation is ongoing “because seniors in care deserve to be protected.” 

The ministry business plan states that only 33 per cent of 37,000 units of provincial housing stock is in good condition, with 62 per cent in fair condition and five per cent in poor condition.

Sigurdson said the province is striving to address $1 billion in deferred maintenance in the housing stock, which she said was inherited from the previous government. 

“Our government is working very hard to close that gap and make sure that Albertans have safe and affordable accommodation,” she said.

dhenton@postmedia.com