Inside: NFSA North Central Notes. ICC Vote Supports Adding Residential Fire Sprinklers to 2009 IRC. NFPA Coordinated Campaign Promotes Home Sprinklers

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1 FALL 2008 THE WISCONSIN CHAPTER OF THE NFSA Inside: NFSA North Central Notes Safety First Family Chooses Fire Sprinklers for New Home Successful Activations Fire Sprinkler Demos Grow in Number and Outreach Media Blitz Promotes Fire Sprinklers to Mass Audience Proactive College Creates Its Own Fire Safety Mandate Madison Fire Department Protects Its Own NFSA Training Courses Available for Everyone NFSA Sponsors MySafeHome Virtual Web Site Fire Sprinkler Activation Report ICC Vote Supports Adding Residential Fire Sprinklers to 2009 IRC International Code Council (ICC) members overwhelmingly voted to include residential fire sprinklers for newly constructed one-and two-family homes and townhouses in their 2009 International Residential Code (IRC) passed at the ICC hearings on September 21, Code proposal RB66 requires fire sprinkler systems in new townhouses. Proposal RB64 requires fire sprinkler systems in new one- and two-family homes, effective January 1, Many ICC members belong to the International Residential Code Fire Sprinkler Coalition, a non-profit association with a mission focused on the health, safety and welfare of the public and emergency responders by supporting fire sprinkler installation in residential occupancies. The coalition represents fire chiefs and marshals, building code officials and public safety interest groups that support fire sprinklers as a standard feature in all new homes. Our team worked hard to rally support throughout the United States for a residential fire sprinkler requirement, but our supporters deserve the recognition for showing up en masse in Minneapolis, said The Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition provided information and answered attendee s questions about residential fire sprinklers at the ICC Annual Meeting expo. Local Union 669 provided fire sprinkler demonstrations in their fire sprinkler trailer. Ronny J. Coleman, President of the IRC Fire Sprinkler Coalition. They know from experience that sprinklers are the answer to the nation s fire problem. Although Wisconsin does not currently use the IRC as a basis for new home construction, 46 states do use it. The International Code Council is a non-profit corporation that develops model code documents such as the International Building Code, Fire Code and Residential Code. NFPA Coordinated Campaign Promotes Home Sprinklers Support Our Troops The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) has announced the coordination of a campaign aimed at increasing the number of homes protected by fire sprinkler systems. Recently approved in October, the campaign s mission encourages jurisdictions to include residential fire sprinklers in new homes by adopting local ordinances or model codes that contain the NFPA 1 Uniform Fire Code, NFPA 101 Life Safety Code, NFPA 5000 Building Construction and Safety Code and the International Code Council International Residential Code (IRC). The NFPA also provides resources to support fire sprinkler requirement adoption as well as an online community to assist people interested in furthering fire sprinklers use. As a founding member of the Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition (HFSC), an organization devoted to educating the public about the life and property saving values of residential fire sprinklers, the NFPA has been a passionate supporter of home fire sprinklers. For more information, visit

2 For the preservation of life and property The Wisconsin Chapter of the NFSA NFSA North Central Notes By Dan Gengler, NFSA North Central Regional Manager (MN, WI) Contact Dan at or A great deal of sprinkler industry progress has marked this year, both nationally and right here in Wisconsin. Here are a few highlights. In September, a monumental and historic event happened in Minneapolis, MN. The International Residential Code (IRC) Final Action Hearings for the 2009 IRC document took up two specific proposals that would lead to future protection of new homes and townhouses with inclusion of residential fire sprinkler systems. Testimony on both issues reiterated the importance of this method of protection now. RB 66, a proposal to protect townhouses with fire sprinklers, passed by a significant 3-1 margin while only a 2-1 vote was needed to overcome the IRC Committee s denial. Excitement in the assembly hall hit fever pitch in anticipation of the next proposal, RB 64, calling for fire sprinklers in all new one- and twofamily homes. With an It s Time! theme for proponents of the measure, people on both ends of the spectrum argued their points. When the vote was cast, 1280 members overturn the IRC Committee s proposal denial, representing a 73% victory margin and setting off near pandemonium in the hall. Firefighters and building officials from all over the country participated in this very passionate issue. Indeed It s Time! has come. The Campus Fire Safety Right-to-Know Act also passed the U.S. Congress by a wide margin in both Houses a few months ago. Within the Higher Education Act, colleges and universities are required to report fire safety information to the U.S. Secretary of Education and make this information available to the public. It has taken almost a decade for this Act to pass. The idea behind the legislation is to encourage school officials to upgrade their focus on campus fire safety by demonstrating the fire safety level available on campus. It also provides the opportunity for schools with an excellent fire safety track record to promote their programs. In addition, the Fire Sprinkler Incentive Act of 2007 has gained some legislative support this year and looks like it may be headed to Congress early next session. The House of Representatives bill is identified as HR 1742 while the equivalent Senate bill is S 582. Similar legislation was introduced in the 108th and 109th Congresses, gaining 140 co-sponsors each time. However, as of a few months ago, 147 Congressional representatives and 27 senators have now signed onto the monumental legislation that would encourage property owners to retrofit buildings with automatic fire sprinkler systems. I will keep you posted! Lastly, NFSA is pleased to announce that former Wisconsin State Senator Ronald W. Brown has accepted the position of NFSA Great Lakes Regional Manager to provide NFSA services to the states of Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and West Virginia. As the Senator from Eau Claire, Brown, along with then Representative Rob Kreibich, introduced Assembly Bill 544 that required automatic fire sprinkler systems be installed in all new construction, including college residence facilities on private campuses and all college residence halls greater than 60 feet in height. This landmark fire safety bill passed in December Also accepting a Regional Manager position is Timothy P. Travers for the newly formed New England Region that includes the states of Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont. We welcome Ron and Tim, both of whom have extensive backgrounds in fire service protection. Please read the rest of this newsletter filled with progressive news as well as information about the life-saving benefits of fire sprinklers. I encourage you to visit for updated information. Safety First Family Chooses Fire Sprinklers for New Home Keith and Dana Miller have always been safety conscious, especially when it comes to their family. So it wasn t a surprise that their interest was piqued when they found an ad on their builder s Web site for a residential fire sprinkler system. We always make sure we have enough working smoke alarms, carbon monoxide detectors, fire escape ladders and an escape plan, Keith said. So, residential fire sprinklers appealed to us, too. The Millers chose Brookstone Homes in 2006 to build their new home in Ozaukee County, WI They were finalizing paperwork when they saw an open house featuring a residential fire sprinkler system that was installed in the builder s model home in Slinger, WI. I wasn t aware there was an option to have fire sprinklers in a home until we saw them installed in the Brookstone Homes model and a demonstration at the open house, Keith said. Wanting as much information as possible about residential fire sprinklers, Keith and Dana asked contractors, who were conducting the fire sprinkler trailer demonstration, questions and read the literature provided by the Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition (HFSC). Once we understood how the fire sprinkler system worked and was maintained, and received answers to our questions, the decision to have sprinklers installed in our new home made sense, Keith said. After the Miller s system was installed, they reviewed the Living with Sprinklers kit from HFSC that contained information on how the system worked and how to maintain it. The Miller s home equipped with a fire sprinkler system provides them peace-of-mind. When it comes to fire safety, the Millers have peace-of-mind. Hopefully they will never see firsthand how their system works. If there was a fire, their fire sprinkler system will prevent it from spreading and allow all of their family members a chance to escape. In addition to protecting their family, the Millers are also protecting members of the Fire Department. 2 Fire Sprinkler Times Fall

3 The Wisconsin Chapter of the NFSA SUCCESSFUL ACTIVATIONS is a regular feature of the Fire Sprinkler Times that highlights submitted saves. See details at bottom of this page. For the preservation of life and property Fire Sprinklers at Work S U C C E S S F U L A C T I V A T I O N S MARCH 2008 Civil War Museum Kenosha The Kenosha Fire Department received a call that fire alarms were sounding at the new Civil War Museum at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday. The fire was caused by oil soaked rags that spontaneously combusted in the janitor s closet. When firefighters arrived at the museum, the sprinkler system was activated and had kept the fire under control. We were very thrilled the fire sprinkler system worked, said Paula Touhey, Executive Director. It happened on a Saturday when nobody was there and it could have been a disaster. The museum was able to move forward hosting a gala and the museum opening the following weekend. The total cost of the damage was approximately $200,000 and no injuries were reported. APRIL 2008 Guhring Inc. Manufacturing Plant Brookfield At approximately 4:30 p.m., firefighters responded to a three-alarm fire at the Guhring manufacturing plant to find smoke and some fire in part of the building. According to a press release from the fire department, the fire was not as serious as it could have been due to the building s automatic fire sprinkler system. Investigators determined the fire might have started in the ceiling of the office area. No injuries were reported. New China Buffet Racine At approximately 11:00a.m. the Racine Fire Department was called to the New China Buffet restaurant. When crews arrived, they found fire sprinklers had activated and the fire was contained. Fire crews shut down the sprinklers, made sure all fire was extinguished and cleaned up the water. The cause of the fire was electrical, igniting curtains in an unoccupied area of the restaurant. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel MAY 2008 Elder Beerman Department Store West Bend In the early morning, the West Bend Fire Department received a call on its non-emergency phone line from a manager with the Elder Beerman Department Store. The manger indicated that the store was full of smoke and the store s monitoring company had contacted him about a problem with the building s fire panel. A fire started in the cosmetic department s electronic cash register area. A fire sprinkler activated containing the fire. When the fire department arrived, there was very little fire to put out, said fire inspector Ed Geidel. There was smoke damage to items in the store, however the building was saved. Photronics Milwaukee The City of Milwaukee Fire Department responded to a call at the Photronics factory at 3:15 p.m. When firefighters arrived the fire had been extinguished by the sprinkler system. The fire appeared to be an electrical fire that started in the ceiling. Battalion 5 Fire Chief Greg Wenzel said, The fire protection system worked exactly how it was supposed to. The sprinkler system activated and extinguished the fire and averted a potentially significant incident. Damage was estimated to be $5,000. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel JUNE 2008 Pierce Manufacturing Menasha A fire was reported at the Pierce Manufacturing facility at 11:26 a.m. The fire was contained by the fire sprinkler system when firefighters arrived. Crews were at the scene in less than 10 minutes and extinguished the fire completely. The fire originated in a ceiling above an office. Damage was estimated at approximately $20,000. No one was injured. Post Cresent JULY 2008 Pet World Waukesha At 10:20 p.m. the City of Waukesha Fire Department was dispatched to a fire at the Pet World store. According to a press release from the City of Waukesha Fire Department, upon arrival crews forced entry into the building and initiated attack. Once inside, the fire s location was quickly identified to one room. An automatic sprinkler system had been activated and kept the fire contained to the room of origin. The attack crews completed the extinguishment and began checking for extension. In addition firefighters removed approximately 25 cages containing various animals in order to minimize the loss to the business owners. There was minimal structural damage and no injuries. AUGUST 2007 Viterbo University La Crosse The La Crosse Fire Department was dispatched around 6:48 p.m. to Viterbo University. Upon arrival, firefighters were informed by security that the building was filled with smoke. Investigation revealed that one sprinkler activated and extinguished a large plastic cooler that had been placed on a burner of an electric stove. There was no damage to the kitchen cabinets and very little smoke damage in the kitchen. The building was occupied the next day. Without the sprinkler system, the fire would have certainly caused extensive damage to the kitchen and would have made the building unusable for a period of time, said Jeffery Brohmer, La Crosse Division Chief of Inspection. Cummins Filtration Plant Black River Falls Five fire sprinklers activated to extinguish a spray paint booth fire at a filtration plant. When firefighters arrived, there was smoke, but no flames. The spray booth appeared to be a total loss, estimated at $180,000. If the building had not had fire sprinkler protection, the building would have most likely been a total loss, too, stated Steve Schreiber, Fire Chief, Black River Falls Fire Department. The fire sprinkler system did its job. WE WANT YOUR SUCCESSFUL ACTIVATIONS! Send your Successful Activation stories to: Dan Gengler, NFSA North Central Regional Manager (MN, WI); P.O. Box 280, Williams Bay, WI 53191; by telephone: ; or via DanNFSA@aol.com continued on page 4 Fall 2008 Fire Sprinkler Times 3

4 For the preservation of life and property The Wisconsin Chapter of the NFSA Successful Activations continued from page 3 AUGUST 2007 (continued) Apartment Complex Appleton The Appleton Fire Department responded to a call at 6:40 p.m. at a 10-unit apartment complex. Upon the department s arrival, there was nothing showing from the outside. Once inside, firefighters found a child playing with matches inside a closet started the fire. A single fire sprinkler activated to extinguish the fire and kept it from spreading. For this family and all that reside here, they count blessings that a sprinkler head activated and extinguished this fire, said Lory Casey, Appleton Fire Department. Without a sprinkler system the outcome of this situation could have been very different. In this case, firefighters didn t even need to pull a hose line because the sprinkler system did what it was designed to do contain the fire and minimize damage, said Neil Cameron, Appleton Fire Chief. Golden Dragon Restaurant East Troy The East Troy Fire Department responded to a call reporting a kitchen fire at the Golden Dragon Restaurant. The department found that two fire sprinklers activated, extinguishing the fire. Fire department personnel reported the restaurant was located next to a fully occupied day care center. No injuries were reported. Formart Containers Inc. Cedarburg Firefighters responded to a call at approximately 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday morning reporting a fire at the Formart Container Company. When firefighters arrived, smoke could be seen outside of the building. It appeared that a fire started in some machinery and spread through the ventilation system to the roof. The sprinkler system activated putting out the fire. A sprinkler system extinguished the initial fire in machinery before the Cedarburg Firefighters arrived. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel Fire Sprinkler Demos Grow in Number and Outreach Thousands of Wisconsin residents had a first-hand opportunity to experience fire sprinkler demonstrations and education throughout the year, to include National Fire Prevention Week, with the help of the National Fire Sprinkler Association - Wisconsin Chapter. Working together with local Unions 183 and 669, the NFSA-WI offered fire sprinkler education through demonstration trailers at various events around the state. Each trailer provided multiple fire sprinkler demonstrations per event, showing just how quickly a sprinkler activates by heat, and then quickly controls or extinguishes the fire while firefighters are in route to the scene. NFSA-WI had purchased a larger demonstration trailer from Plumber s Union 75 in 2007 and made updates throughout this year. The addition of this second trailer allowed for more fire department event participation and public education demonstrations. In addition to the trailer demonstrations, eight fire departments held a total of 10 side-byside fire sprinkler demonstrations, educating more than 2,000 people. Each demonstration Thousands of Wisconsin residents and visitors received the positive life- and property-saving message of fire sprinklers during National Fire Prevention Week from October 5-11, Three of those highly-visible messages rotated on seven digital billboards in the greater Milwaukee area with one message highlighting the City s skyline providing the impression that sprinklers are everywhere. New trailer provides more fire sprinkler educational opportunities used identically furnished rooms, one side protected with fire sprinklers and the other unprotected. Fire professionals set both rooms aflame to show how quickly fire spreads as well as how fast a sprinkler activates to control or extinguish a fire. Fire departments that hosted side-by-side demonstrations include LaCrosse, West Allis, Greenfield, Germantown, Onalaska (2), Sussex (2) and Fon du Lac (2). The fire sprinkler trailer schedule is available on the NFSA-WI Web site at To reserve the sprinkler trailer, please call Corey, Sprinkler Fitters Union 183, at Fire service professionals interested in hosting a side-by-side fire sprinkler demonstration in 2009 should call Kathy at Media Blitz Promotes Fire Sprinklers to Mass Audience A second billboard display emphasized how fire sprinklers protect civilians and firefighters, thanks to a statement by Onalaska Fire Department Chief Donald Dominick whose picture appeared alongside the message. The third billboard image portrayed high-rise buildings without fire sprinklers and the thought-provoking message that such structures were not a place to live, but a place to die. All three billboard messages included Internet direction to for further information. Finally, a 60-second radio spot aired twice daily during the week on WTMJ radio stressing that fire sprinklers play a very important role in protecting life and property in all buildings. One of three messages displayed on seven billboards in the Milwaukee area. 4 Fire Sprinkler Times Fall

5 The Wisconsin Chapter of the NFSA For the preservation of life and property RETRO SECTION is a feature of the Fire Sprinkler Times that highlights a special retrofit project. Contact Dan Gengler to submit a special project. Alverno College places students lives at the top of its fire safety priority list, even when code requirements don t mandate it. Alverno s Clare Hall residence building was retrofit with a fire sprinkler system during this summer. Although Clare Hall was originally built in 1953 as a state-of-the-art building, fire sprinklers were not required at the time for a structure of its size. In 2005, a bill passed requiring automatic fire sprinkler system installation in all public and private college residence facilities greater than 60 feet in height. Unfortunately, Alverno College residence halls still fell outside the mandated limits because they did not meet the height requirement. However, that didn t stop the Alverno College administration, with the help of Alverno College Alumnae s Clare Hall Initiative contributions, from providing life-saving measures for its students safety. Dr. Mary Meehan, President of Alverno College, insisted that students living on campus live in the safest environment possible. I experienced first-hand a fire at another university that killed three students and left five critically injured, Dr. Meehan said. I know what it is like to tell parents that their child died in a fire that would not have resulted in death had there been fire sprinklers. Meeting the minimum standard is not enough when lives are at stake. We have one other residence hall on our campus that legislation also does not require us to sprinkler, although our board has agreed to install RETRO SECTION Proactive College Creates Its Own Fire Safety Mandate After complete renovation including a fire sprinkler system, a dedication was recently held at Clare Hall. Madison Fire Department Protects Its Own Madison fire department professionals understand the importance and life-saving benefits of fire sprinklers for every person, including firefighters who must fight the flames. Construction plans called for fire sprinkler installation in four of Madison s 11 fire stations when they were most recently built. Now, thanks to a FEMA grant supported by city funds, fire department officials have been able to protect three more fire stations with sprinklers. By the end of this year, two more stations will also have systems installed. We want to lead by example, said Fire Marshal Edwin Ruckriegel. Installing fire sprinklers is consistent with our message to the community that they are important. Our chief, Debra Amesqua, made it a point that we need to protect those (people) in our buildings. Fire alarm systems and kitchen fire suppression are also part of the safety upgrade, Ruckriegel added. Photo by Lila Aryan Photography sprinklers as soon as we can secure the necessary funding, Dr. Meehan added. Parents of students living in Clare Hall can now be reassured that their children are safer due to this proactive measure taken by Alverno College, even though codes do not yet require this allimportant sprinkler safety barrier from fire. Photo provided by the Madison Fire Department Station 1 is one of the stations retrofit with a fire sprinkler system protecting firefighters inside. Help Needed From Fire Departments and Municipalities The National Fire Sprinkler Association, Wisconsin Chapter (NFSA-WI) has been conducting a survey of fire departments and municipalities throughout the state in order to determine their important needs as well as the resources that NFSA-WI might provide to help upgrade safety codes. Thank you to the following fire departments and municipalities that have already completed the survey: Appleton Fire Department; Hartford, De Pere and Village of Pleasant Prairie fire and rescue departments; Watertown Building Safety; City of Two Rivers; Oak Creek; City of Hudson; Altoona; City of Madison; Germantown; Green Bay; West Bend; North Shore; City of Brookfield; Oakdale Area; Plymouth; South Milwaukee Fire Department; Spencer Fire Department and Ambulance Service; West Milwaukee; City of Waukesha; City of Wauwatosa; Menomonee Falls; Village of Sussex; Greendale, West Allis fire departments, Town of Buchanan Fire Dept. and Spencer Fire Dept. & Ambulance Service. Through these surveys, fire and public officials have shared information such as: NFPA standards formally adopted by ordinance in their communities; NFPA 25 enforcement inspection procedures; fire department and/or municipal building fire sprinkler installation status or plans; and annual verification of fire pump test practices. The survey can be downloaded and faxed to Kathy at (262) Fall 2008 Fire Sprinkler Times 5

6 For the preservation of life and property The Wisconsin Chapter of the NFSA NFSA Training Courses Available for Everyone The National Fire Sprinkler Association (NFSA) provides continuing educational opportunities to meet the needs of everyone from the industry professional to the newcomer. Courses cater to fire service professionals, sprinkler specialists, code officials, architects, engineers, building owners, insurance authorities and anyone interested in fire and sprinkler safety. The courses provide education credits. Courses are offered on site (classroom environment) in Wisconsin and as Web site based learning. On site topics include areas of Inspection and Testing for the sprinkler industry, Technician Training, and Project Management. Classroom courses offer the opportunity for those who need individual instruction and would like hands-on activities and real-time interaction with the instructor. Web site based seminars feature Technical Tuesdays focused on sprinkler technical issues such as the latest developments within the industry. Business Thursdays online seminars are centered on business-related topics assisting contractors with issues such as dealing with current problem areas in the business environment. Online learning via the Web offers the convenience of taking courses from home or the office. Classroom and Web site based learning courses are offered by trainers that provide an open environment for discussion and contribution based on the questions and experiences of participants. For information on the courses offered throughout the year, visit the National Fire Sprinkler Association s Web site at or call Dan Gengler at (262) ABOVE: Project Management course attendees participate in a hands-on activity demonstrating the value of planning. LEFT: NFSA instructors Kevin Kelly, Michael Friedman and Robert Treiber. NFSA Sponsors New Virtual Web Site MySafeHome.org A side-by-side burn demonstration shows sprinkler protection versus no protection. Earlier this year, the nonprofit Home Safety Counc i l i n t r o d u c e d MySafeHome.org, an interactive 3-D animation home safety program available on the Internet. M y S a f e H o m e. o r g allows visitors to explore areas of a virtual house so they can understand where potential dangers might be found in their own homes. MySafeHome.org includes a home fire sprinkler system that protects all the living areas in the home. For example, visitors enter the kitchen and watch a single sprinkler extinguish a fire that starts in a toaster. In the living room, they see an animated side-by-side couch fire burn demonstration, showing the results with and without a sprinkler. Fire is a leading cause of death in homes and fire sprinklers provide life-saving benefit, according to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA 13D). MySafeHome.org provides important Information emphasizing how a fire sprinkler system offers the best possible protection. The Web site also provides other personal injury prevention information including messages on poisoning, burns, choking, falls and electrical shock. The National Fire Sprinkler Association is proud to be the key sponsor of this new virtual home safety program. An NFSA link is available on the Web site. Take a virtual home safety tour and discover more information at or access the site through the NFSA-Wisconsin Chapter Web site at 6 Fire Sprinkler Times Fall

7 The Wisconsin Chapter of the NFSA For the preservation of life and property Fall 2008 Fire Sprinkler Times 7

8 Standard PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID Permit #170 Plainfield, IL PO Box 280 Williams Bay, WI For more information about fire sprinklers, contact Dan Gengler, National Fire Sprinkler Association, You can also contact Dan via Please print legibly in ink NAME TITLE COMPANY ADDRESS CITY STATE ZIP NFSA-WI INFORMATION & MATERIAL REQUEST If you are interested in any of the following materials or information, please call the contact listed below: Fire Sprinklers Save Lives Ad (Adobe Acrobat PDF) HFSC Built for Life Kit HFSC Living with Sprinklers Kit Fire Sprinkler Side-By-Side Live Burn Demonstration Information PHONE FAX Home Fire Sprinkler, Public Education Kit If you don t have access to a FAX, return form to: The Wisconsin Chapter of The National Fire Sprinkler Association, Inc. Kathy Meulemans PO Box 614 Cedarburg, WI Please be sure to view the NFSA-WI Web site for information at www. NFSAwi. org. Materials can be ordered via fax at (262) or call Kathy Meulemans at (262)