The National Fire Sprinkler Association (NFSA), the longest-tenured fire sprinkler advocacy organization in the U.S., announces the State of New Hampshire approved building code changes that will require all new one- and two-family homes and townhouses built in the state starting April 1, 2012, to be equipped with life-saving fire sprinkler systems.
The New Hampshire State Building Code Review Board voted December 11, 2009, by a 12-2 margin, to accept this requirement of the International Residential Code (IRC), as established by the International Code Council in September 2008. The residential sprinkler requirement was voted into the IRC by building code officials from all over the U.S., gaining more than two-thirds of the vote. This demonstrated that officials very clearly see the need to require sprinkler technology as a life-saving measure. The fire sprinkler requirement was recently reaffirmed at an ICC vote in Baltimore in late October 2009.
“This is a significant victory for the residents and fire service professionals in New Hampshire as the state has taken a giant step forward in protecting its residents from the dangers of fire,” said NFSA President John Viniello. “By adopting the IRC code, New Hampshire is providing its residents and fire service professionals with an important life safety measure which will provide residents with peace of mind in their homes and fire service professionals extra time to perform their jobs.”
The inclusion of residential fire sprinkler requirements in the 2009 IRC is a response to the growing fire problem in the U.S. About 85 percent of all fires occur in the home and many are fueled by new “lightweight” construction and more flammable home contents. Smoke detectors are no longer enough in residential fire protection, as the time to escape a house fire has dwindled from 17 minutes 20 years ago to three minutes today. This poses a severe risk to firefighters as they now have less time to do their job and save residents’ lives and property.
“The adoption of the IRC code by the New Hampshire State Building Code Review Board is a crucial step in making sure that fire sprinklers are installed in all newly constructed townhouses and one- and two-family homes. The fire services in New Hampshire pulled together to make this adoption a reality – especially New Hampshire Association of Fire Chiefs’ State Building Code Review Board members Chief Corey Landry and Deputy Chief Michael Hoisington,” added Tim Travers NFSA New England Regional Manager.
About the National Fire Sprinkler Association
Established in 1905, the National Fire Sprinkler Association (NFSA) is the voice of the fire sprinkler industry. NFSA leads the drive to get life-saving fire sprinklers into all buildings; provides support and resources for its members – fire sprinkler contractors, manufacturers and suppliers; and educates authorities having jurisdiction of fire control matters. Headquartered in Patterson, N.Y., NFSA has regional operations offices throughout the country. www.nfsa.org.
