NYSAFC Partners with BOCES Programs Across New York State for Home Fire Sprinkler Demonstration Project that Kicks-Off During Fire Prevention Week

• By: Staff
• On: 10/05/2017 09:21:15
• In: NYSAFC News

NYSAFC will be conducting live fire demonstrations to highlight the effectiveness of home fire sprinklers during Fire Prevention Week 2017 and throughout the month of October. These demonstrations will be held in communities statewide and will feature a side-by-side burn of two "pods" – one with a sprinkler system and one without.

The live fire demonstrations will show that the room without sprinklers quickly reaches a temperature that causes flashover, or the spontaneous combustion of all the contents in the room. In the room protected by sprinklers, the fire will never grow out of control, which gives residents time to safely escape, minimizes risks to the firefighters who respond, and significantly reduces property damage.

The pods are being built by construction technology students in local Board of Cooperative Educational Services (BOCES) programs. The task gives the youths practical construction experience; it also educates them about the importance of home fire sprinklers and shows them how a home fire sprinkler system is installed and functions. Local fire departments will be assisting with the demonstrations, which through media coverage and a social media campaign will raise public awareness about the benefits of home fire sprinklers and dispel common myths.

Students from the University Preparatory Charter School Building Maintenance Program have constructed pods that will be used in a demonstration on October 7, 2017, in Rochester, NY, conducted with the assistance of the Rochester Fire Department. UPrep is a public, all-male charter school located in the city of Rochester and is the only charter school in New York state with a Career & Tech Center.

Questar III BOCES students have built the pods that will be used for a demonstration on October 12, 2017, in Troy, NY, in cooperation with the Troy Fire Department. Questar III BOCES serves 23 school districts in Rensselaer, Columbia, and Greene counties, and more than 650 districts across New York state. Its mission is to expand educational opportunities to students of all ages, abilities, and interests and provide access to cost-effective and innovative support services.

Additional side-by-side burn demonstrations will be held later in October in partnership with other local BOCES programs and New York state fire departments, which will be on hand to provide fire suppression and talk with citizens about the benefits of home fire sprinklers.  

This activity is supported by grant awards from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Assistance to Firefighters Fire Prevention and Safety Grant Program. NYSAFC would also like to acknowledge the National Fire Sprinkler Association (NFSA) and Interstate Fire & Safety for the generous donation of sprinkler components.