USFA grants provide inner city fire protection
Residential sprinkler systems, proven effective in protecting property and reducing life loss in the event of a fire, are being installed and/or upgraded in certain inner-city buildings undergoing refurbishing.
The retrofit is part of a $125,050 project funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s United States Fire Administration (USFA) and is being done in cooperation with the Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) energy saving rehabilitation program. Installing sprinklers will enhance those buildings targeted by HUD for energy improvements by adding a fire-safety component and increasing fire protection for a high-risk segment of the population.
The participating jurisdictions in the USFA project are: Austin, TX, which is receiving $24,300; Boston, MA, $29,100; Harrisburg, PA, $23,000; Prince George’s County, MD, $24,350; and St. Louis, MO, $24,300. These jurisdictions were chosen by the number of fires and fire deaths reported within the cities, explained a USFA official. The USFA is also offering participating communities technical assistance so that sprinkler retrofits might be easily duplicated in other neighborhoods without the need of federal funding.
The USFA wants to involve various residential buildings in their retrofit project to show that dwellings in different construction classifications can be made more fire safe.
According to the USFA official, if this pilot project, which is expected to be completed late this year, is successful and HUD is satisfied, it is anticipated that similar projects will be started up in other areas of the country.
