Sprinklers should be required in new home construction (Commentary)
Ken Pienkowski is 1st Vice President of the Firemen’s Association of the State of New York; Tom Herlihy is 1st Vice President of the Association of Fire Districts in New York State. Both men are Onondaga residents and members of the Build Safe NY Alliance, a group comprising fire service leaders, insurers, architects, engineers, disability advocates, construction industry representatives, labor leaders and manufacturers.
By Ken Pienkowski and Tom Herlihy
A lot can happen in a decade. People grow older, children become young adults, technology rapidly improves, and your family car that was once the newest, flashiest you ever purchased has either been traded in or is on its last legs. Basically, over the span of a decade, change occurs everywhere…unless you are the New York State Building Code.
While other states in the nation have taken steps to update their building codes and as newer industries such as solar power and semiconductor production have moved into our state at a rapid pace – two industries which require complex structures to house production — the building regulations governing construction are nearly 10 years old. Essentially, our building code is that old car on its last legs.
However, unbeknownst to many there are discussions taking place in Albany that have the potential to bring New York in line with our counterparts and really make changes that will better the lives and help ensure the safety of or our fellow New Yorkers. The State Fire Prevention and Building Code Council listened intently over the past few months to testimony on a number of subjects pertaining to changes in our state’s building code — including the critical issue of residential sprinkler systems
Sprinkler systems have the potential to save lives, but far too many new homes in New York are built without them. In fact, the International Codes Council (ICC) has recommended that sprinklers be installed in all new one- and two-family homes, but New York state has thus far failed to adapt this standard; ensuring that we are once again behind our counterparts on issues of safety.
Houses built in the 21st century are often bigger, brighter, more open and more wired and connected than the homes of the past. While these homes are strong and sturdy, there are also more lightweight, thanks to manufactured woods and synthetic materials like polyester and polyurethane in use during construction. As firefighters, we know that in the event of a fire these materials burn faster and hotter than older, traditional materials and the wide-open floor plans allow fire to spread quickly.
Let’s be clear — these homes are safe under normal conditions, but in the event of a fire they can be dangerous. But we can change that.
The National Fire Protection Association, the country’s leading authority on fire related issues, found that the death rate in sprinkler-equipped properties is 57 percent lower than in properties without them. In addition to the personal safety aspects, sprinkler-equipped homes experience a significantly lower rate of property damage than those without sprinklers — proving the effectiveness at protecting both life and property.
As fire officials, we have a significant vested interest in this critical issue because firefighting becomes safer in a sprinkler-equipped building, slowing the fire, and helping to prevent a structural collapse. Firefighter injuries and fatalities stand to decline if more and more homes are built with integrated sprinkler systems. These systems also provide seniors and those with disabilities the added time necessary to escape a home fire.
If the adoption of the code results in one child spared from the agony of severe pain, or if we save the life of a firefighter by avoiding a building collapse, then it will be well worth it.
For too long, the Empire State has been operating with an outdated and potentially dangerous building code, falling behind our peers across the country. We need to change that, making New York a safer place to live.