Published: November 09, 2009 06:40 pm      

Groups help fund Habitat sprinkler systems

EDMOND — Two fire associations and Edmond firefighters are buying sprinkler systems for a developing Habitat-Turning Point Ministries housing project.

Recent metro fires, including a Monday morning blaze at an Oklahoma City home that killed four residents and an earlier Oklahoma City apartment fire that killed three, highlight the need for fire prevention measures.

Edmond’s Turning Point Ministries is buying land, paving the way for a new Habitat housing development — Legacy Station — which will be built west of Broadway between Edwards Street and Thatcher Street. Turning Point President Bob Turner is committed to having all 12 of the yet-to-be-built homes outfitted with sprinkler systems.

To that end, the Fire Marshals Association of Oklahoma is contributing $1,700 toward a sprinkler system for one home, and at least $2,171 for a second will come from the Oklahoma Chapter of the International Association of Arson Investigators.

Turner said the Edmond housing ministry really appreciates the support, which will give the future residents, mostly single mothers and their children, more peace of mind.

“They’re really concerned about fire safety and so are we,” Turner said of the associations.

Edmond Fire Prevention Maj. Mike Barnes, a fire prevention officer/firefighter for more than 23 years, commended Turner, Turning Point and Habitat for this commitment. The donations will help to relieve Turning Point of that burden and allow them to use the money elsewhere on the project, Barnes said.

Barnes said Edmond firefighters want to make a difference in their community and recently voted to sponsor a Legacy Station fire sprinkler system. He said Edmond firefighters are proud to be a part of such an exciting project.

“We hear it every day, another fire, another life lost,” Barnes said. “We just feel we have to do more.”

Trent Hawkins, IAAI president, said he first became aware of the need through the FMAO, and then he presented the idea to his association’s board. Habitat was a good choice for the donation, Hawkins said.

“Being that our organization investigates fires, any time we can add sprinkler systems makes our job that much easier,” Hawkins said.

Michael Walker, FMAO president, echoed Hawkins’ sentiments about Habitat and said his association’s goal is to help save lives. A bonus is getting to help someone in need, Walker said.

Barnes said Turning Point and Habitat should be proud to be building the first local fire sprinkled Habitat housing addition. Edmond was the first location to have a Habitat home fire sprinkled, he said.

Barnes said the technology to stop the loss of life and property is available, and for $1.30 to $1.50 per square foot a fire sprinkler can be installed in a new home.

“These sprinklers are like having a firefighter in the home 24 hours a day, maybe better because you don’t have to feed them,” Barnes said.

Turner said original plans called for 13 homes, but planners wanted more space in the development. Weather pending, once infrastructure work is done, home construction could begin in February, he said. Details about a Turning Point fundraiser will be coming soon, he said. More funds are needed to finish paying for Legacy Station lots.

Individuals or business sponsors who would like to donate to this life-saving fire sprinkler project or would like more information may call Barnes at 359-4312. To donate funds toward Legacy Station real estate, call Turner at 818-6264.



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THE DETAILS

HOME FIRES AND SPRINKLERS



If you have a reported fire in your home, the risk of dying decreases by about 80 percent when sprinklers are present.

People in homes with sprinklers are protected against significant property loss — sprinklers reduce the average property loss by 71 percent per fire.

Sprinklers typically reduce the chances of dying in a home fire by one-half to two-thirds in any type of property where they are used. Together with smoke alarms, sprinklers cut the risk of dying in a home fire 82 percent, relative to having neither.

NFPA has no record of a fire killing more than two people in a completely sprinklered public assembly, educational, institutional or residential building where the system was working properly.

Sprinklers are highly reliable. When present in the fire area, they operate in all but 7 percent of fires large enough to activate the system. Human error was a factor in almost all of the failures. The system was shut-off in almost two-thirds of the failures.

Source: National Fire Protection Association