Shropshire fire chiefs call for sprinkler systems in all new homes

Speaking at the unveiling of a pilot project in Oswestry, Andy Blizard, the head of the service's fire safety team, called for sprinklers to be fitted in all new homes, particularly those occupied by the elderly and other vulnerable people.

He said: "For many vulnerable people getting out of their home and away from a fire would be difficult, perhaps impossible.

"Even if they hear their smoke alarm, it won't help them escape from a fire. Sprinklers can remove that danger because they will usually put a fire out and stop it spreading from room to room."

The Oswestry project is a joint venture between Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service and Shropshire Towns and Rural Housing Association and is the first of its kind in the county.

It will see a number of homes fitted with the sprinkler systems.

"This is the first of what we hope will be many more sprinkler projects involving social landlords, local authorities, developers and SFRS," added Mr Blizard.

"Our message is simple – sprinklers save lives and provide vulnerable people with very high levels of protection against fire. We would like to see them fitted in all new homes."

Sprinkler systems can also have a big impact on the amount of damage a fire can cause.

"Because sprinklers will usually stop a fire spreading from room to room, they drastically reduce the amount of damage caused by water because sprinklers use much less water than a conventional hose," he said.

"There are so many good reasons why sprinkler systems should be fitted in all new homes but, above all, they would dramatically reduce the number of people who lose their lives in fires.

"Sprinklers can also make a huge difference to a business affected by fire by significantly reducing the amount of fire damage and allowing the business to resume operating with minimal disruption."

In Wales all new properties have to be protected by a sprinkler system following a change in the law and the Chief Fire Officers' Association (CFOA) has backed a call for similar legislative change in England.

A spokesman for CFOA said: "Residential sprinklers are the equivalent of having a firefighter on stand-by in your home.

"They can put out a fire before the fire service arrives."

He added: "We know that sprinklers save lives and we strongly welcome this initiative in Shropshire."