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To address the problem of residential
fire deaths, the New Zealand Fire Service funded the Building Research
Association of New Zealand (BRANZ) to develop a residential fire sprinkler
system design that is inexpensive. The BRANZ report includes information
about its effectiveness in reducing loss of life, injury and property
damage due to fires in houses. The report is available for download at:
http://www.fire.org.nz/more_info/
reports/fund/reports/Report_1.htm
The proposed system achieves a ‘cost per life saved’ that is competitive with that of domestic smoke alarms.
The proposed combination plumbing-sprinkler system achieves a ‘cost per life saved’ that is competitive with hardwired domestic smoke alarms. The cost of installing the sprinklers in addition to the domestic plumbing into a simple single-level three bedroom new home in New Zealand is estimated to be approximately $1500.00 NZ ($825.00 US).
Following completion of research it was decided that, to assist and promote the incorporation of these systems, a guide to these systems was needed for plumbers and the wider building industry.
Sprinklers for houses: Combination domestic plumbing and fire sprinkler system is an illustrated guide containing a step-by-step guide for designing a combination fire sprinkler system. Further information about the guide is available from BRANZ Publications Manager, Sandy Murray (SandyMurray@branz.co.nz).
Another related report, Cost-effective fire safety measures for residential buildings in New Zealand by C. A. Wade and C. R. Duncan, BRANZ Study Report No. 93, details the smoke alarm cost-benefit study. For additional information on either BRANZ report, contact Colleen Wade, ColleenWade@branz.co.nz.
The Robson family lost their mother and home in a fire. Here, BRANZ Engineer Nick Saunders, watched by Northland Fire Region Assistant Commander Mike Lister, explains the sprinkler system installed in the ceiling of their new home, built for them by Habitat for Humanity. (photo by Clive Crombie).
We want to thank all of the FIRE.GOV subscribers and visitors to our web site. This is the first issue of FIRE.GOV’s third year. In the past two years we have attracted over 1500 subscribers. After posting the previous issue over 9000 people visited the FIRE.GOV web site. Outside of North America we find that we are often read on- line from Australia,
Kingdom, New Zealand and Japan. Some readers have passed along requests for news in specific areas of research. We welcome requests from readers as it tells us something about needs for research as seen by firefighters. Looking back over these requests in putting this anniversary issue together, it was clear that research concerning the
effectiveness of fire fighting foams was important to our audience. We have found some research in this area and reported it to you. We look forward to continuing the flow of information and we hope that this will stimulate interactions between the researchers and firefighters. We believe in BETTER FIRE FIGHTING THROUGH RESEARCH.
Fire.Gov staff celebrate the beginning of the publication’s 3rd year at a local restaurant.
