Fire-sprinkler requirements in new homes are under heavy fire by opponents—mainly the home building industry. This formidable foe yields enormous political power and uses the current economic downturn as a pretext. The opposition misleads legislators and the public, including the misuse of NFPA data to reinforce its position.

It’s imperative that the fire service arms itself with the available educational and advocacy resources to educate legislators and engage the opposition with determination, commitment, courage and resilience.

The Fire Sprinkler Initiative: Bringing Safety Home^®, a nationwide effort to mandate the use of fire sprinklers, was launched by NFPA after a series of focus groups and input from the fire and emergency service overwhelmingly favored a major initiative for home fire sprinklers.

The IAFC issued a position statement that reads in part, “…we must include fire sprinklers as an integral part of a community’s fire protection … It’s time to add active fire protection as a baseline in all new construction.” All new model codes now include the requirement.

Read the full release on IAFC.org.