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Article: Fire sprinkler system success stories: what everyone in our industry should read on a slow news day.(Fire Protection)
- Article from:
- PM Engineer
- Article date:
- July 1, 2007
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2007 BNP Media. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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The very threat of fire is a community alert seldom discussed. The first fire sprinkler system known to any community was patented in 1872, and was, in concept, developed for property protection. The earliest buildings blessed with fire protection systems were textile mills in New England.
Fire sprinkler systems were not considered life-safety equipment until the 1940s, and even then, were not mandated by building code to be included in schools, residences, hospitals, hotels or other places of public assembly. The first battery-operated smoke detector for homes wasn't patented until 1969.
Today, 82% of fire fatalities nationwide are comprised of people ...