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A new study by the Fire Protection Research Foundation highlights positive opinions of home fire sprinklers by homeowners and most government officials in U.S. states required to fire sprinkler new homes.
The new report, “Stakeholder Perceptions of Home Fire Sprinklers,” analyzes the opinions of three groups—government officials, homeowners, and water purveyors—following the passage of statewide requirements for home fire sprinklers. Researchers surveyed stakeholders in California and Maryland, where fire sprinklers are required in all new homes. California’s statewide requirement went into effect in 2011 and, following a state building code update in 2015, fire sprinklers are now required in all of Maryland’s new homes. All U.S. model building codes include the requirement to sprinkler new, one- and two-family homes, where the majority of fire deaths and injuries occur each year.
Key findings from the report include:
“Based on our research, there is a deep appreciation of home fire sprinklers by homeowners and local government officials,” said Liza Bowles, president of Newport Partners, which conducted the survey on behalf of the Fire Protection Research Foundation. “Moreover, water purveyors in California and Maryland also expressed little concern for fire sprinkler performance once the state’s sprinkler requirements went into effect. We hope the study allays concerns regarding home fire sprinkler requirements, particularly the notion that home fire sprinklers negatively impact water supplies.”