Developers and local authorities need to “stop ignoring” the benefits of sprinklers, a deputy fire commissioner has said.
There are 10 fire incidents every week in the UK’s capital city and vulnerable people are in desperate need of the protection offered by sprinklers.
Rita Dexter, London Fire Brigade’s deputy commissioner, has expressed her concern at the number of vulnerable people who are still put in harm’s way through fire.
Year | Fire Incidents in Care Homes (London) |
2008/9 | 541 |
2009/10 | 500 |
2010/11 | 477 |
2011/12 | 476 |
2012/13 | 540 |
Source: London Fire Brigade
The fire service attends 10 fires a week in care homes or sheltered accommodation, a statistic fire chiefs describe as “shocking,” and they have pledged to reduce the number of care home fires by 3 per cent in the next three years, as well as to promote the use of sprinklers as a life-saving tool to councils and housing providers.
There were two deaths from fire in care homes or sheltered housing in the past year and 26 fire-related injuries. London Fire believes that most of the 900 care homes for the elderly in the capital do not have sprinklers fitted, and they are calling on care homes to install them.
Dexter said:
Older people, as well as people with mental health problems and those with mobility issues, are the group most at risk from fire and we are concerned by the number of vulnerable people like this who are still harmed or killed by fire in places where they should be safe.
That’s why we want to see all residential care homes fitted with sprinklers. The number and regularity of care home fires that the Brigade attends is clear evidence that builders, developers, local authorities and private providers need to stop ignoring their benefits.
Source: London Fire Brigade
Scottish residences require sprinklers to be installed in new builds, and rules in Wales to enforce the installation of sprinklers in new and converted properties are set to come into force in September.
Although the number of incidents has remained relatively steady in care homes, the number of injuries in the year 2012-13 is at its lowest for the past five years.
What do you think? Should all care homes look into installing sprinklers? Is it time that Westminster stepped in and forced their hand?
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Depends on how the statistics have been presented. Are the incidents in care homes remaining “steady” because the rates in Scotland are possibly on a downward trend as they have been installing sprinklers since 2005?
Sprinklers seem a great idea to me but would presumably add costs to care home services as they are not cheap systems.
Sorry to be such a pedant but:
“There are 10 fire incidents every week in the UK’s capital city and vulnerable people are in desperate need of protection from sprinklers.”
Why would they need protecting from sprinklers?
Nothing wrong with pedantry. Isn’t the English language a wonderful thing? Take your point. Let’s try the word using instead 😉
If you mean
There are 10 fire incidents every week in the UK’s capital city and vulnerable people are in desperate need of protection from using sprinklers.
then the meaning is still the same.
Can I suggest
There are 10 fire incidents every week in the UK’s capital city and vulnerable people are in desperate need of the protection offered by sprinklers.
Or something similar?
Don’t suppose it really matters. I understood the point you were making, just playing devil’s advocate…
Who said we don’t run a collaborrative community? Thanks Steve.
My vote goes with the original version, sprinklers can be dangerous!!
To me the benefit of sprinkler systems can not be under-estimated. They have been tried out and the response is immediate. It does not have to think and respond in case of emergency. The prompt reaction may save priceless lives . Some people contend that such system is not cost effective. But nothing is more costlier than human life.
They’re cheaper than you would think, is the message fro London Fire and from the sprinkler lobbyists. And, forgetting the obvious risk to human lives from fire, the argument for sprinklers from the pro-sprinkler lobbyists would be that the cost of repair for a room that has been sprinklered versus the cost of repair after a contained fire would be significantly less.
There truly is nothing costlier than human life. You can’t put a price tag on someone’s life. I agree, the systems aren’t cheap, but they can potentially save your life or the lives of your loved ones.