Frank, You're my hero. I'm forwarding your letter to both the Washington and Oregon Fire Sprinkler Coalitions. Back when Fine Homebuilding and the Tauton Press were fledglings I wrote an article about fire detectors in homes. Perhaps it's time for one about sprinklers. Thanks again.
On Mon, Apr 26, 2010 at 2:32 PM, Cliff Whitfield <[email protected]> wrote: > Excellent and done with class! > > Thank you for sharing it with us. > > Cliff Whitfield, SET > > Fire Design, Inc. > 3784 Holly Ridge Trail > Marianna, FL 32448 > > www.fire-design.com > > -----Original Message----- > From: [email protected] > [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Frank Herrick > Sent: Monday, April 26, 2010 4:14 PM > To: '[email protected]' > Subject: Residential fire sprinklers in GA. > > Here is a copy of my letter to Fine Homebuilding Magazine, ironic that > homebuilders sell granite countertops every day, but will say that a > sprinkler system is too expensive. > > > Fine Homebuilding Magazine > > The Taunton Press > > 63 South Main Street > > P.O. Box 5506 > > Newton, CT. 06470-5506 > > E-mail: [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> > > > > Dear Sir or Madam, > > > > I am writing concerning a letter in your March 2010 edition, from Mr. Robert > A. Meyer about the perceived hurdle in using residential fire sprinklers in > affordable homes. > > > > As a fire service professional and a paramedic with over 25 years of > experience I can tell you exactly what will happen in a home without fire > sprinklers. Furthermore I can tell you that the two most likely places > these residents will relocate to: the burn center or the morgue. > > > > As far as price is concerned, the nationwide the average for the > installation of a residential fire sprinkler system is $1.61 per square > foot. Habitat for Humanity homes are no more than 1050 square feet. My > math says that comes to $1,680. I doubt the NAHB or Mr. Meyer has the > plight of the homeless nearest their heart when they resist fire sprinklers. > The poor, in fact, die in far higher proportions than those who dwell in the > stylish homes gracing the pages of Fine Homebuilding. They deserve better > than to be trotted out as a fig leaves for an industry accustomed to pushing > the margins of luxury for its profitability. > > > > The economies of sprinkler avoidance have always been a tall tale. Any burn > or respiratory injury that a requires admission to a hospital will cost many > times the cost of a sprinkler system; ditto for the replacement of personal > belongings and the cascade of other externalized costs associated with a > builder's upfront savings. Consider even the average cost of a funeral > compared to the cost of a sprinkler system. You get the point. > > > > The damage to homes or apartments equipped with a fire sprinkler system has > been $4,000 compared that with a loss of $17,000 per fire in non sprinkler > homes. > > In 2009 home fires caused 2,755 deaths and 13,560 injuries. > > > > Your argument is we can't afford sprinklers, my answer is we can't afford > not to install fire sprinkler in every home in America. > > > > Sincerely, > > > > Captain Frank J. Herrick > > Firefighter/Paramedic > > Certified Arson Investigator > > > FRANK J. HERRICK > CITY OF LEAWOOD FIRE DEPARTMENT > OFFICE OF THE FIRE MARSHAL > 14801 MISSION ROAD > LEAWOOD, KS. 66224-9560 > OFFICE: 913.681.6788 x 26 > FAX: 913.681.2399 > Fire Sprinklers Save Lives, Property, the Environment, and Water - Protect > what you value most! > > > > _______________________________________________ > Sprinklerforum mailing list > [email protected] > http://fireball.firesprinkler.org/mailman/listinfo/sprinklerforum > > For Technical Assistance, send an email to: [email protected] > > To Unsubscribe, send an email to:[email protected] > (Put the word unsubscribe in the subject field) > > _______________________________________________ > Sprinklerforum mailing list > [email protected] > http://fireball.firesprinkler.org/mailman/listinfo/sprinklerforum > > For Technical Assistance, send an email to: [email protected] > > To Unsubscribe, send an email to:[email protected] > (Put the word unsubscribe in the subject field) > -- Ron Greenman Instructor Fire Protection Engineering Bates Technical College Tacoma, WA Member: SFPE, ASCET, NFPA, AFSA, NFSA AFAA, NIBS, WSAFM, WFC _______________________________________________ Sprinklerforum mailing list [email protected] http://fireball.firesprinkler.org/mailman/listinfo/sprinklerforum For Technical Assistance, send an email to: [email protected] To Unsubscribe, send an email to:[email protected] (Put the word unsubscribe in the subject field)
