Fwd: Delaware Fire Fatalities #17 and #18
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JD Jenkins
Dec 1, 2022, 4:20:14 PM12/1/22
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Unfortunately Delaware has now suffered 18 fire fatalities this year. #17 occurred in Kent County this past week, as did #18 in New Castle County. Both fires are still under investigation by the Delaware Office of the State Fire Marshal.
All the fatalities occurred in unsprinklered occupancies. None of the occupancies were required to have a sprinkler system due to their age. However, please know that there have been at least four fires in residential structures throughout Delaware that were
controlled by sprinkler systems that have occurred since later August through last week. Fires in Newark, Rehoboth, Bear and Dover all were controlled by the building sprinkler system and resulted in reduced damages. The Dover fire is pictured above. You can
see that the slider doors are still intact because the sprinkler system held the fire and heat in check and minimized damages to the building. From what I was told, firefighters did not have to apply any water from fire hoses on this fire because of the effectiveness
of the sprinkler system.
A sad counterpoint to those that argue smoke alarms are enough to protect people, the sixteenth fire fatality in Delaware occurred in Milford in a dwelling that had activated, properly working smoke alarms. In all my years in the fire service, I have yet to
see a smoke alarm or smoke detector flow any water to control or extinguish a fire.
Do not think for one second that the economic problems being endured have slowed down residential development in Delaware. And these are not "affordable housing" developments. Unfortunately, the Delaware Preliminary Land Use Service (PLUS) land planning review
does not consider what the overwhelming growth does to Delaware emergency services providers. The fire and emergency medical services are already battling recruitment, retention and call volume challenges. But these topics never come up with the State land
use reviews. Please correct me, but I doubt these conversations take place at local planning and zoning meetings either. If they do, legislators should realize that building with residential fire sprinkler systems will address many concerns.
On a final note, take a few minutes to look at the video presented by the Northern Illinois Fire Sprinkler Advisory Bureau. Have a safe holiday season.
Thanks,
Paul Eichler
Delaware Fire Sprinkler Coalition
Sprinkler Committee, DVFA
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