Listeners of WJOL-AM 1340 Radio learned something they may not have realized when host Kevin Kollins invited Plainfield Fire Protection District Fire Marshal Mary Kay Ludemann on his show during Home Fire Sprinkler Week.

“Are homes being built now with fire sprinklers in them?” asked Kollins. His question was a nice tee up for Fire Marshal Ludemann, who explained they are indeed. She noted there are different code requirements for residential sprinklers in different regions in Illinois and discussed the fire dangers when new homes are built with lightweight construction material, which can fail faster than legacy wood construction material. This danger has been the driving force behind codes requiring sprinklers in new homes, she said.

The bottom line? Home fire sprinklers “keep a fire from reaching flashover, which gives everybody an opportunity to safely escape,” the Fire Marshal said. “It also saves the lives of first responders because they aren’t going into a situation with a flashover or a potential floor collapse or anything of that nature.”

“You’re talking about saving lives,” Kollins added, closing out the interview.

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