In a newsletter e-mailed to his constituents yesterday, Chicago Downtown Ald. Brendan Reilly voiced his opposition to a proposal by Illinois State Fire Marshal Larry Matkaitis advocating that sprinkler systems be installed “retroactively” in all high-rise buildings, even those constructed before 1975, according to Fran Spielman, City Hall reporter for the Chicago Sun Times (http://bit.ly/12SWExJ).
Brendan cited the financial burden the installation of sprinklers would have on Chicago homeowners, condo associations, and industry. Studies have shown that sprinklers do not necessarily boost costs. As early as 2009, for example, in “New Study Shows Ease of Integrating Home Fire Sprinklers with Local Water Supply Systems” http://emberly.fireengineering.com/articles/2009/10/new-study-shows-ease.html Jim Shannon, National Fire Protection Association president, states: “It is simply not true that sprinklers cannot be integrated with public water supply or significantly adds to cost.”
Two persons were killed in Two people were killed in a Chicago high-rise fire on Jan. 22, 2013. “One of the most troubling things about these deaths is the fact that they could have been prevented if the right precautions had been taken,” noted fire safety expert Lou Krupkin of SkySaverUSA. “Having reliable fire prevention systems in place is absolutely imperative, and having a personal escape device as an alternative escape plan on top of those precautions is always a good idea.”
The NFPA says that there are approximately 15,700 high-rise fires per year in the United States and that, on average, more than 50 individuals will die in U.S. high-rise fires each year and more than 500 others will be injured. “To help mitigate the damage and lives lost in these types of fires, high-rise buildings should be outfitted with safety measures like sprinklers and public address systems. The building in Chicago, unfortunately, was not, the NFPA added. “Proper Preparation Can Save Lives, Safety Experts Urge After Fatal Chicago High-Rise Fire,” http://emberly.fireengineering.com/articles/2013/02/proper-preparation-can-save-lives–safety-experts-urge-after-fat.html.
