Because the application and installation environments are
expanding and changing, on-going performance assessments of fire sprinklers in
the field are instrumental in maintaining a high level of
effectiveness. As a part of United Laboratories’ third-party certification program, qualification and
surveillance testing is conducted to evaluate the ability of sprinklers to
comply with specified criteria.
News stories pertaining to fires inevitably
contain a phrase similar to: “when the flames subsided…” Everyone knows what
happened at that juncture - the fuel had run out because a fire had just
consumed every bit of it, and there was nothing left to burn.
Historically, codes have been strengthened based on the past failures, and many lives were lost to get us up to the levels of safety that we have today. Although avoiding failures might not be truly and completely possible, prudence dictates taking appropriate measures through strengthening the fire and life safety requirements in our codes to reduce such adverse impacts.
There are several things to consider not readily covered in NFPA 13D and 13R: water supply, backflow prevention, alarms/accessories and fire department connections.
Reno, NV-An arson fire occurring on Halloween night in downtown Reno claimed the lives of 12 people. A resident of the Mizpah Hotel, 47-year-old Valerie Moore, is alleged to have started the fire and was being held in the Washoe County Jail (as of press time).