Unless you live in an apartment building, your home likely doesn’t have a fire sprinkler system installed. The Winnipeg Fire Paramedic Service is hoping to change that.
On Monday, the WFPS held a demonstration to show how quickly a single room can burn without a sprinkler installed. In under two minutes, the contents and walls of the room were completely engulfed by flames, leaving nothing left but charred remains.
“Every year, more than 300 Canadians are killed in home fires,” said Chief Reid Douglas. “While every household needs working smoke alarms and a well-rehearsed fire escape plan for basic safety, only fire sprinklers can automatically control a fire. Installing fire sprinklers saves lives and protects property.”
Sean Pearce of the Canadian Automatic Sprinkler Association said installing both smoke alarms and a fire sprinkler system reduces the risk of death in a home fire by 82 percent.
“Only the sprinkler closest to the fire will activate, spraying water directly on the fire. 90 percent of fires are contained by the operation of just one sprinkler,” Pearce said.
The cost to install a sprinkler system in a home is about $3,000.
