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X-WR-CALNAME:Sprinkler Saves
X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://www.sprinklersaves.co.uk
X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Sprinkler Saves
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DTSTART;VALUE=DATE:20241201
DTEND;VALUE=DATE:20250101
DTSTAMP:20260418T105257
CREATED:20250109T141454Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20250509T070836Z
UID:10000494-1733011200-1735689599@www.sprinklersaves.co.uk
SUMMARY:Wales Extra Care Housing Sprinkler Save
DESCRIPTION:Summary \nThis incident clearly identifies why the English government should be looking to install sprinklers into all new specialised and supported housing\, if it was not for the decision taken by the National Assembly for Wales passing new regulations in October 2013 that require a fire sprinkler system to be installed in registered group homes and sheltered housing we could be discussing a different outcome for this incident. \nThe demographic change in specialised and supported housing population has resulted in an increase in the occurrence of mobility difficulties\, reduced sensory capability and cognitive difficulties\, all of which bring greater risk from fire\, in terms of likelihood of fire and vulnerability in the event of a fire. \nThe study analysis of national ¹fire data\, an in-depth review of fire-related fatalities and severe casualties in England\, 2010/11 to 2018/19 referenced that while there is a lack of recent research on fatal fires\, the available studies consistently identified age\, the presence of an impairment such as physical disability\, smoking\, and alcohol use as key factors on the outcome of the fire\, as they will be less able to respond to a fire. \nMid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service reported that a fire within an Extra Care Housing Scheme was successfully contained\, controlled following the activation of 1 concealed sprinkler head within a flat following a fire involving an electric toaster. The sprinkler system contained and controlled the fire allowing the resident to be rescued from their property by firefighters. \nIt should be remembered the installation of a life safety sprinkler system is to reduce the rate of heat and smoke\, allowing more time for the occupants to escape to safety or be rescued\, The provision of a sprinkler system does not neglect the need for other fire practical precautions or provisions where the person is at higher-than-average risk from fire\, unable to self-evacuate in the event of a fire \nFire protection is dependent on both passive and active fire systems such as sprinklers working in unison providing a further layer of safety from fire as part of a package of fire safety measures\, in reducing the impact of fire on people\, firefighters\, property and the environment. \nThis incident provides further evidence that the main functional objectives of a life safety sprinkler system were achieved. \n\nReducing the rate of heat and smoke\, containing and controlling the fire\nReducing the likelihood of a fire spreading beyond the room of origin\nFirefighters operated without due risk to either effect rescue or assist evacuation\nPrevent conflagration\n\nAdding further weight to the reliability and effectiveness of sprinkler systems following the two recent reports conducted ²Optimal Economics\, and commissioned by the National Fire Chiefs Council\, National Fire Sprinkler Network into the performance\, reliability\, and effectiveness of sprinkler systems in controlling and extinguishing fires. \nThe reports found that: \n\nSprinklers are 99% efficient in extinguishing or controlling a fire.\nSprinklers are 94% efficient in their ability to operate.\n\nThe British Automatic Fire Sprinkler Association has welcomed the recent announcement that sprinklers will be made mandatory in all new residential care homes within England regardless of height from March 2025\, but would urge government to make the provision of sprinklers into all new specialised and supported housing mandatory. \nThe Incident  \n\nDate of incident; December 2024.\nIncident; Fire.\nAddress; Wales\nOccupancy: Purpose-Specialised Housing (Extra -Care)\nLocation of fire; Living room.\nImpact of AFSS; Contained/controlled.\nNumber of sprinkler heads operated; 1.\n\nSummary of Incident  \n\nFire crews were mobilised to reports of a confirmed fire following an emergency call received from a remote monitoring telecare provider.\nOn arrival the incident commander established that the seat of the fire was within a flat\nUpon entry\, firefighters wearing breathing apparatus established that\n\n\n1 Concealed pendent sprinkler head had activated within the room of origin\, containing/controlling the fire.\nLight smoke staining\, fire/heat damage was sustained to the area in vicinity of the seat of the fire where the electric toaster was located\n\n\nFirefighting media\, 1 hose reel jet was used to extinguish remaining hot spots\nThe resident was rescued by fire crews with no injuries reported requiring only a precautionary check.\nIn accordance with the premises emergency plan “Stay Put” only the flat of origin required to be evacuated.\nThe evacuation strategy for this type of occupancy is such that only those at immediate risk need to escape those in the flat of origin\, but those remote and unaffected by the fire can remain in their flats.\nOnsite information was available allowing firefighters to assist in the management of water from the activation of the sprinkler system allowing the isolation of the sprinkler isolation valve.\nThe emergency plan allowed the sprinkler system to be reinstated\, operational on the same day as the fire by the sprinkler contractor.\nMajor protracted incident everted allowing FRS resources to be released\, redeployed to attend emergency incidents.\n\nThe following advice is intended for building managers\, individuals who have responsibility for fire safety within a building. \nPremises Emergency Plan \nThe problem\, post fire sprinkler activations reported where buildings have been identified as affected by water egress following the successful activation of the sprinkler system containing\, controlling or in some cases extinguishing the fire\, predominately due to. \n\nPoor business continuity management\, inadequate onsite emergency planning by the building manager or responsible person for the fire safety arrangements within a building.\nAllowing onsite information to be available for firefighters to interact with the building active fire safety measures namely automatic water fire suppression systems.\n\nThere is now a high probability that firefighters will attend a variety of incidents where sprinklers systems are reported as present and having an impact within these types of buildings. \nThe provision of a robust emergency plan will allow an immediate emergency response to be actioned by the fire rescue service to assist in the management of water from the activation of the sprinkler system following a fire or even following the unlikely likelihood of un-intentional release of water\, due to the knock-on effect this can have on a business or occupancy \nDebunking the myth that water damage following the actuation of the sprinkler system will be more expensive than the actual damage resulting from the fire. \nReinstatement of the Fire Protection Measures \n\nIt is paramount that fire protection measures in buildings can function effectively in the event of a fire. To achieve this the premises emergency plan should include that arrangements are in place allowing the immediate reinstatement of the sprinkler system.\nIt is a requirement of the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order for the responsible person to implement the appropriate arrangements for the effective planning\, organisation\, control\, monitoring of the preventive and protective measures.\nAny delay could compromise the safety of the occupants in the event of a further fire within the building due to the sprinkler system being offline.\n\nFurther detailed guidance on Sprinkler protected buildings can be found in the BAFSA Information file\, A guide for Responsible Persons and Duty Holder. \nSources/further reading.  \n\nSprinkler Saves Review 2023/2024\nSprinkler Saves Summer Update No 6\n¹An in-depth review of fire-related fatalities and severe casualties in England\, 2010 to 2018/19\n²Efficiency and Effectiveness of Sprinkler Systems in the United Kingdom: An Analysis from Fire Service data \nBAFSA Information file\, A guide for Responsible Persons and Duty Holder.\nMid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service Sprinklers\nEssex County Fire and Rescue Service facebook\, Sheltered Housing fire 23 October 2023\n\nIf you want to make a difference working in the fire sector\, we need your assistance…… \nTo make sprinklers the norm and not the exception – we need the evidence. Encouraging FRS and those in the sprinkler community to promote\, collate\, report sprinkler activations to Sprinkler Saves UK which will help to create a central and comprehensive record of fire incidents where sprinklers played their role in containing/controlling or extinguishing the fire. \nIf you hear of a save report it using this link. \nCredit to Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service for reporting this incident allowing the benefits of sprinklers to be reported to a wider audience raising awareness of the good work that sprinklers do and help in our continued campaign to lobby government to introduce tougher sprinkler rules making the installation and retrofitting of sprinklers mandatory in all buildings we are particularly concerned about: \n\nBuildings housing vulnerable residents\nResidential buildings\nSchools\nCarparks\nStorage and warehouses\nHospitals\n\n         
URL:https://www.sprinklersaves.co.uk/saves/welsh-extra-care-housing-sprinkler-save/
LOCATION:Mid Wales
CATEGORIES:Residential
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