- This event has passed.
North Ayrshire School Saved by Sprinkler System
20 February 2022 @ 9:49 pm - 21 February 2022 @ 9:49 pm
- Fire Rescue Service; Scottish Fire and Rescue Service
- Date of Incident; 20 February 2022
- Time of call; 21:49
- Occupancy; School/leisure centre
- Location of Fire; Server Room
- Ignition Source: Electrical
- 2x sprinkler heads operated
Scottish Fire & Rescue Service have reported the above-mentioned incident involving an electrical fire within the school’s server room located on the first floor.
Two sprinkler heads activated which contained, extinguished the fire before arrival of fire crews at Garnock Community Campus, fire damage was restricted to under 10m².
The benefits of installing fire sprinklers in schools clearly identified
- Protecting both the occupants and the building
- Reducing potential fire, smoke damage
- Reducing potential disruption to students education
Unfortunately, this is not the case throughout the country fire sprinklers are mandatory in new school buildings in Scotland and Wales, but not in England or Northern Ireland.
Despite a growing acceptance amongst the public, and some politicians of the value of automatic fire sprinklers, there is a continuing reluctance to fit sprinklers in new schools in both England and Northern Ireland.
Within the nations of the UK there are different governmental approaches to the fitting of sprinklers in schools. Whilst the English government takes an almost “laissez faire” approach to this vital topic the devolved administrations in Scotland and Wales take a proactive approach – sprinklers are mandatory in all new and substantially refurbished schools in both countries.
The British Automatic Fire Sprinkler Association is calling on the Government to require the installation of automatic fire sprinklers in all new built and substantially refurbished schools in England and Northern Ireland and we are not a lone voice, leading bodies in the built environment have signed a joint statement to this effect, including the retrofitting of sprinklers in existing school buildings when relevant refurbishment takes place.
Links
- British Automatic Fire Sprinkler Association; Sprinklers in Schools Information File 1
- Business Sprinkler Alliance; Fire Sprinklers make the grade at St Nicholas Primary School
- National Fire Chiefs Council; Responds to the Government’s proposed revision to its fire safety guidance for schools