London Fire Brigade Backs Sprinklers in Schools

The London Fire Brigade, Britain’s largest fire department, is calling for sprinklers to be installed in all schools in the city. Its latest data show 36 arson attacks and 113 accidental fires occurred in 2011 in London’s schools, colleges, and nursery buildings; nationwide, each year nearly one in every eight schools sustains a serious arson attack, and London’s school fires account for one-third of the estimated annual losses of about £65 million.

NFPA data show the problem is far greater in the United States. From 2005 through 2009, U.S. fire departments responded to an estimated average of 6,260 structure fires in educational properties annually that caused an annual average of 85 civilian injuries and $112 million in direct property damage, according to the NFPA “Educational Properties” report by Ben Evants in June 2011.

In 2011, the London Fire Brigade reported almost two-thirds of new or refurbished schools planned for the city are not being built with sprinklers installed despite 2008 government guidelines recommending them in most cases. While fire chiefs are consulted on plans for new schools and renovations of existing ones, according to the brigade’s figures, six out of 10 schools that proposed building work in the past three years did not plan to install sprinklers.

“The number and regularity of school fires we attend is yet more evidence, if any were needed, that builders, developers, local authorities, governing bodies and other private providers must stop ignoring the huge benefits of sprinklers,” said Susan Hall, chairman of London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority’s Community Safety Committee. “As well as making sure the children in their care are protected, those responsible for our schools should recognize that sprinklers can dramatically reduce damage by stopping fires from spreading so quickly. This would help to protect the significant amount of public money invested in our school buildings.”

Featured

New Products

  • ResponderLink

    ResponderLink

    Shooter Detection Systems (SDS), an Alarm.com company and a global leader in gunshot detection solutions, has introduced ResponderLink, a groundbreaking new 911 notification service for gunshot events. ResponderLink completes the circle from detection to 911 notification to first responder awareness, giving law enforcement enhanced situational intelligence they urgently need to save lives. Integrating SDS’s proven gunshot detection system with Noonlight’s SendPolice platform, ResponderLink is the first solution to automatically deliver real-time gunshot detection data to 911 call centers and first responders. When shots are detected, the 911 dispatching center, also known as the Public Safety Answering Point or PSAP, is contacted based on the gunfire location, enabling faster initiation of life-saving emergency protocols.

  • Automatic Systems V07

    Automatic Systems V07

    Automatic Systems, an industry-leading manufacturer of pedestrian and vehicle secure entrance control access systems, is pleased to announce the release of its groundbreaking V07 software. The V07 software update is designed specifically to address cybersecurity concerns and will ensure the integrity and confidentiality of Automatic Systems applications. With the new V07 software, updates will be delivered by means of an encrypted file.

  • Unified VMS

    AxxonSoft introduces version 2.0 of the Axxon One VMS. The new release features integrations with various physical security systems, making Axxon One a unified VMS. Other enhancements include new AI video analytics and intelligent search functions, hardened cybersecurity, usability and performance improvements, and expanded cloud capabilities