Richton Park, IL – Earlier this year, the Village of Richton Park adopted updated fire and building codes requiring all new construction homes to be equipped with home fire sprinklers. In meetings leading up to the fire and building code updates, Fire Chief Mick Smith and Community & Economic Development Director Pete Saunders emphasized the importance of retaining the NFPA 13D home fire sprinkler requirements included in the 2018 Edition of the International Residential Code (IRC). Having learned about the faster speed of today’s home fires and the quick, lifesaving benefits of fire sprinklers, and with the approval of Village Manager Regan Stockstell, Chief Smith and Director Saunders presented the updates to the Village President and Board of Trustees. The President and Board voted in favor of the updates, taking a significant step toward establishing a fire-safe community.
Not only does the updated edition of the IRC require the installation of fire sprinklers in all new residential properties, but there are also local amendments mandating fire sprinklers in homes undergoing major renovations.
“Across the country, fire damage is in the billions of dollars every year, and fire deaths are in the thousands every year,” Fire Chief Smith states. “With this requirement, the Village of Richton Park has taken critical steps forward in reducing the damages that can be caused by a fire as well as the lives that could be lost due to residential fires.”
Congratulations to the Village of Richton Park for implementing this code update that will protect its housing stock and residents for generations to come.
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