Fire Sprinkler Facts

According to the British Automatic Fire Sprinkler Association (BAFSA) a fire sprinkler works through the placement of pipes throughout a building with water pumped through the pipes to sprinkler heads that only operate when a specified temperature is reached around the sprinkler head.

History

• The fire sprinkler was the invention of Englishman John Carey who began development of what Olympic Fire Protection describes as a heat activated series of perforated pipes for the purpose of putting out a fire. American's George F. Parmalee and Frederick Grinnell developed the system for use in 1881.

Effectiveness

• The American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA) reports that only two deaths have been reported in buildings completely controlled with automatic fire sprinklers. Around the world BAFSA reports only 50 deaths in buildings controlled by sprinkler systems.

Water

• Fire sprinklers are regarded as more efficient in their use of water than a reliance of fire hoses resulting in less water damage. BAFSA describes sprinkler systems as being designed to work only in areas where the temperature rises making it common for only two sprinkler heads to spray water using on average 341 gallons of water compared to an average of 2,935 gallons used by firefighters hoses.

Smoke

• According to BAFSA smoke is one of the biggest problems associated with fire causing damage and injury. Fire sprinklers can remove larger particles from the air reducing both toxicity and density of smoke.

Malfunction

• It is rare for fire sprinklers to malfunction according to AFSA with the odds of non-human malfunction being around 1 in 16 million. Leaks are also said to be no more likely than in plumbing around the rest of a building.