The city of Waukegan recently updated its codes and now requires all new construction one- and two-family homes and townhomes to be protected with home fire sprinklers. The upgrade in home fire sprinkler protection is a result of Waukegan updating to the 2021 edition of the International Residential Code (IRC). The city also updated its editions of the International Building Code (IBC), and (International Fire Code (IFC).
Waukegan Fire Marshal Todd Zupec participated in the Waukegan City Council process to establish the new code update, attending multiple meetings to decide which codes should be added or removed. Throughout the process, he advocated for adding the home fire sprinkler requirements according to the NFPA 13D standard.
Zupec applauded city officials for the decision to move forward with this code adoption, noting that it will greatly benefit the entire Waukegan community. “We are always striving to create a safer community,” he said. “With the adoption of these codes and fire sprinkler requirements, we are making our buildings and homes much safer and thereby lowering the risk for injuries or deaths in the event of a fireAs most of our fires are in residential buildings, this is a great step forward in helping reduce the number of fires and increase safety.”
Congratulations to the city of Waukegan for adopting this code!