Sprinklers – are they useful or not?

Think about this little problem that has arisen twice in my recent Fire Risk Assessments.

The premises is a four bedroom bungalow, in which there is supported living for mentally and physically disabled persons.   John is  a large person whom staff cannot lift manually, to the extent that a special hoist has to be used to lift this unfortunate person in and out of bed.  They have considered the difficulty of moving John quickly in the event of a fire occurring when he is in bed - and it can’t be done.  Hence, the fire procedure when this person is in bed is for everyone else to evacuate, leaving poor old John in alone in his room.   Yes, there is full fire detection in the bungalow and yes, there is fire separation between the bedroom and the rest of the building, but is this really the best provision in this case?  John is still at risk if a fire occurs.

The answer is to provide a fire suppression system – that is, to arrange to put the fire out so that anyone who cannot leave the building quickly is not put at risk.  A domestic sprinkler system fits the bill.  You can find a supplier by contacting the Residential Sprinkler Association.  (A quick search of the internet will throw them up).     Another development, still pretty much in its infancy, is water mist systems, which appear not to flood the area when they go off.   They simply leave everything damp and they certainly suppress an outbreak of fire.

My general view is that a sprinkler system provides a robust, reliable system that is not prone to false operation and is well worth considering.   I remember a talk given by a solicitor, several years ago now, about the consequences of a fire in his offices.     He was insured, he was able to carry on in other premises.  And yet, to see a life-time’s work in ruins was still devastating.   He said that, looking at his damaged offices, he felt bereaved.   Maybe one of these small sprinkler systems could have prevented the damage.   I’m sure that with hindsight he would agree.

I am of course aware that sprinkler actuation can lead to water damage.   It is an absolutely hard and fast rule that a sprinkler system should not be turned off until the Fire Brigade are sure they can control the fire – otherwise your building might burn down anyway.  Fire damage would far outweigh any water damage, however, so the sprinklers are much the better option, in the commercial or the domestic environment.   The provision of sprinklers can compensate for other short-comings in fire precautions.   Your Fire Risk Assessment will take this into account, resulting in possible savings, say, on providing automatic fire detection or compartment walls.