2016 - Issue 1 - Spring Archives - Northern Illinois Fire Sprinkler Advisory Board

Fire Sprinkler Saved the Day and the Game at U.S. Cellular Field

An early morning fire Friday at U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago triggered another successful activation of a fire sprinkler system. This fire sprinkler save was the second to have occurred at U.S. Cellular Field since its opening in 1991.

Only 12 hours before the season opener for the Chicago White Sox against the Cleveland Indians, a fire was reported in a first-floor storage unit near Gate 2 at the stadium. The fire was out by 3:00am, approximately 35 minutes after it started. One firefighter sustained non-life-threatening injuries.

In an interview for the Chicago Tribune, Sheena Quinn, a spokeswoman for the Sox, said the storage room contained posters and other extra promotional materials that easily could be replaced.

“We had our overnight crew here. They were alerted by the alarm system that there was a fire in our warehouse, which was contained by the sprinkler system. The Chicago Fire Department arrived, extinguished the fire completely, and now we’ll be ready for baseball,” Quinn said in an interview with CBS Chicago.

Although fire sprinklers played a clear role in containing this fire, fire sprinkler systems are unfortunately not a mandated part of Chicago’s fire code, which still leaves out protecting new buildings. “Fire sprinkler saves like this one are a good reminder that the city of Chicago needs to update its code to protect all new buildings. While the code requires fire sprinklers in large places of assembly such as U.S. Cellular Field, many other new buildings like multifamily apartments where people live are being built without fire sprinklers — the ultimate fire protection,” stated Tom Lia, executive director of the nonprofit Northern Illinois Fire Sprinkler Advisory Board.

“This one was more than a save for fire sprinklers, it was a save for baseball, and it really shows how important fire sprinklers are in the early containment of a fire,“ says Lia. “Because of fire sprinklers, and the quick actions of the Chicago Fire Department, there are a lot of fans out there who are going to enjoy an opening day they might not otherwise have been able to see. This fire might have been a curve ball for opening day, but fire sprinklers definitely hit a home run.”

Mary Lukens2023-10-05T11:26:21-05:00April 8th, 2016|0 Comments

Letter to Editor: Double-Fatal Fire in Champaign on Easter Eve

Below is a “letter to the editor” from Tom Harnsberger (retired fire chief and current treasurer for the Carroll Fire Protection District) in response to the Champaign house fire that killed two individuals on the eve of Easter:

Grief pours out for the tragic loss of the young lives of Christian Sheehan and Sara Shuler — young lives cut short by the ravages of fire. Friends and family will question why. They will always wonder what the two may have accomplished with their lives. Parents are missing their children; and the children will miss their parents.

According to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), “residential” was the leading property type for fire deaths (75.7 percent, or 2,274 people), fire injuries (79.1 percent) and fire dollar loss (52.2 percent or $6.1 billion) in 2011.

Recent testing by Underwriters’ Labs (UL) comparing fires in legacy houses versus lightweight construction show that newer homes with newer furnishings (padded with foams made from oil) burn much much faster than homes built with dimensional lumber and containing older furnishings (padded with common combustibles). The legacy home tests show that after a wastebasket is set on fire, occupants have over 26 minutes to escape until conditions are not survivable. In the newer home, after the same size fire is started, conditions are not survivable within six minutes.

There is technology that limits the fire, usually to the object where the fire started, and prevents toxic gases from becoming a problem. At Carroll Fire Protection District, we have built a real estate tax rebate program in which the fire protection district will rebate up to 25 percent of the real estate tax received from a property owner that installs an automatic fire sprinkler system in a one- or two-family housing. If all homes had automatic fire sprinklers, the fire deaths in homes would dramatically drop and the fire loss of $6.1 billion also would drop. In addition, most homeowner insurance companies offer discounts to policy-owners that have an automatic fire sprinkler system.

The benefits of having an automatic fire sprinkler system are not solely financial. If fire sprinklers were present, Mr. Sheehan and Ms. Shuler would most likely still be alive and well with their futures fully ahead of them. Their parents would still have their children, their children would still have their parents.

Mary Lukens2023-10-05T11:29:08-05:00March 31st, 2016|0 Comments

Fire Officer’s Four Steps to Residential Sprinkler Advocacy

Mary Lukens2023-10-05T11:23:46-05:00March 26th, 2016|0 Comments

Video: Fire Sprinklers Save Lives in High-Rises

Have you ever stopped to think about how safe a residential high-rise building would be in the event of a fire? If it doesn’t include fire sprinklers, the answer is simple: it’s not safe enough.

Residents of high-rises without fire sprinkler systems are much more likely to die in a fire, and those fortunate enough to escape could still face injury and significant property losses. The National Fire Protection Association reported that from 2007-2011, high-rise fires caused nearly $219 million in property damage each year.

Why even risk the potential of such loss when a fire sprinkler system can easily be retrofitted to any building

Fire sprinklers are easier to install in existing high-rises than most people think. The infrastructure is already in place, making fire sprinklers a cost-effective solution for fire safety.

If a fire starts, the heat from the fire will activate only the sprinkler closest to the fire, limiting damage to a single area and preventing the release of deadly smoke and toxins. Fire sprinklers are the only technology that proactively control or extinguish a fire, prevent it from spreading, and provide time for residents to escape.

Also, owners and residents of high-rises protected with fire sprinklers receive discounts on their fire insurance.

View the video and more information at HighRiseLifeSafety.com.

Mary Lukens2023-10-05T11:30:15-05:00March 10th, 2016|0 Comments

Save The Date: June 7 – Illinois Burn Prevention Golf Outing

Join the Illinois Burn Prevention Association on Tuesday, June 7, 2016, for its 21st Annual Burn Prevention Golf Invitational at an amazing new location, Mistwood Golf Club. Proceeds from the event will support burn camps, burn injury care, and burn injury awareness and support.

Early registration is available. Watch for an upcoming mailing or check the website at ILBurnPreventionAssoc.com.
For more information, please call (866) 264-3722 or email the IBPA.

Mary Lukens2023-10-05T11:35:42-05:00March 9th, 2016|0 Comments

Register: NFSA Annual Seminar (May 3-6)

The National Fire Sprinkler Association’s 2016 Annual Seminar and Business & Leadership Conference will be held May 3-6, 2016, in Dana Point, California. The event will include national speakers who will provide valuable resources and information.

It’s also important to note that capacity is limited, so reserve your spot while there is still availability.

Register for the annual seminar (early bird registration has been extended through March 14), check out Sponsorship Opportunities, and make your hotel reservations at the Laguna Cliffs Marriott.

Also, the annual seminar will feature the 1st Annual Common Voices Golf Classic. Proceeds from the tournament will benefit Common Voices, a coalition of advocates who put personal voices to the tragedies of fire. Register separately for the golf classic.

Mary Lukens2023-10-05T11:27:31-05:00February 26th, 2016|0 Comments