Building Code Board of Appeals Agenda and Packet 2009 06 18

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It is the fire deoartment's oosition that comoartmentation should never be constructed to avoid sprinkler requirements (e.2. fire doors and walls). The LFD leadership team considers this oronosed ordinance to be the cornerstone o( future fire department cost effectiveness and community fire and life safetv or02r'ams. IV) Supportive Data Automatic sprinklers have an enviable record in controlling fires and limiting loss. NFPA statistics have shown that they are effective 97% of the time and property loss is reduced up to 68%. Automatic fire sprinklers provide four basic functions when installed and maintained within a given building. They automatically detect fire, immediately sound the alarm, operate upon activation to fight the fire, and remain in operation unol the fire is extinguished and shut down. The efliciency in design is shown by the relatively few sprinkler heads that open during most fires: 71 % were exonguished or controlled with one sprinkler head acovation and 86% with two sprinkler heads. From our perspective, because of the care given to the design, construction, assembly, and the rigid approval testing requirements, automatic sprinklers are among the most reliable mechanical devices made. Damage Per Fire With and Without Sprinklers 2002 - 2004 Apartment r- i $18.300 _ $12.400 i I _ $8.100 $23.000 I i I 525.900 ~ rS.600 I 1 :)35,500 1- $9.6r I I I $44.4001 $38,600 I Eatingor Drinking Educational Health Care'" Hotel or Motel Store or Office $3)'700 $49'1"0 $20,000 $40,000 $67.8t S80,000 $102,600 L Without Sprinklers . With Sprinklers Manufacturing I $. $60,000 $100,000 $120,000 Figure 1. Performance and Reliability of Sprinklers. 'All statistics are based on fires reported in 2002-2004. V) Cost Benefit In addition to protection against destruction of property and interruption to business, the insurance savings often makes the installation expenditures a sound business investment Many of our current structures in Louisville do not have sprinklers because the cost per dollar for protection has appeared unjustifiably high to the building owners in relation to the value of the building. A random sample of local companies revealed suhstantial savings in insurance premiums of sprinklered properties. Of equal importance are the many building code trade-orfs that are allowed when sprinklers are installed. These trade-offs permit an increase in the undivided area and often less fire resistance for the building construction and therefore, cost less.