ORLAND PARK, IL (August 14, 2019) – The Northern Illinois Fire Sprinkler Advisory Board (NIFSAB) is launching their new website www.firesprinklerassoc.com.
The new website was designed to be easier to navigate and search for information. With resources on residential, high-rise, Inspection Testing & Maintenance and much more! Most important, it is responsive, so visitors can view the website on any device, laptop, desktop, tablet or smartphone.
Left to right: Village of Hodgkins Water Department Foreman Ken Tucker, Code & Safety Enforcement Officer Dan Tholotowsky, Building Department Inspector Matt Struve, Mayor Noel Cummings, Trustees Paul Struve and Tim Kovel.
HODGKINS, IL (August 14, 2019) – Establishing an unparalleled commitment to public safety, the Board of Trustees of the Village of Hodgkins, IL unanimously approved an update of the Village code to include a financial incentive for installing home fire sprinklers in new construction and retrofitting existing one- and two-family homes.
Effective immediately, the Village will provide 50% of the installation cost when the system is approved. The covered criteria include combined water service and water main tap fees (if any), piping and valves, installation, and testing fees. It is applicable to structures and mobile homes and the Village has set no limit for its 50% cost share. Further, the Village will pay 100% of the cost of increasing the water line size on a newly constructed home (if needed by the plumbing code) for future sprinklers if the owner isn’t ready to install sprinklers.
“All the credit for this program should go to President Noel Cummings and the Board of Trustees,” says Village of Hodgkins Code and Safety Enforcement Officer Dan Tholotowsky. “Although the Village doesn’t require one- and two-family fire sprinklers, they are among the first to offer a financial incentive for them, if not the first. Without the trustees, none of this would have happened.”
The Village of Hodgkins is an older, established community without much new development, he says. There are limited vacant lots for sale and some renovations. But already in the short time since the program was approved, one home has already applied for the incentive and construction is under way.
“The Village has a motto: ‘Small town, big heart’ and I think their big-heartedness could also be a safe heart,” Tholotowsky says. “They believe in fire sprinklers and they care about their residents and first responders. They’ve done an excellent job with commercial sprinklers and this is just another extension of their public safety commitment.”
“This is a step in the right direction for fire safety. It is our desire to be a leader in many ways,” says Ken Tucker, Foreman, Public Works Department, Village of Hodgkins.
Dan Tholotowsky, Village of Hodgkins Code and Safety Enforcement Officer
“This is a real credit to the Village of Hodgkins,” says NIFSAB Executive Director Tom Lia. “New homeowners who never knew about home fire sprinklers until now have a new incentive to build here. And for local homeowners who want to retrofit with sprinklers, the Village has made that choice a much more affordable option.”
All sprinkler incentives are good for public safety, whether they’re designed for developers, builders, or homeowners, Lia says. “The Village of Hodgkins incentive is less common, as it so generously benefits the homeowner. It’s important to share information about all kinds of home fire sprinkler incentives to increase awareness and maybe even generate some healthy competition among other local officials!”
Village of Hodgkins Board of Trustees:
President Noel Cummings
Village Clerk Stephanie Gardner
Trustee Tim Kovel
Trustee Lida Mills
Trustee Vicky Moxley
Trustee Dominic Misasi
Trustee Larry Rice
Trustee Paul Struve
Building Inspector Matt Struve
Shown left to right: Deerfield-Bannockburn Fire Protection District’s Deputy Fire Chief Ray Larson, Fire Chief Ian Kazian, Fire Marshal Brian McCarthy and Tom Lia (NIFSAB).
DEERFIELD, IL (August 6, 2019) – Officials from the Village of Deerfield recently adopted the International Code Council (ICC) 2018 edition in its entirety. With local amendments and nothing removed, this will require fire sprinklers in all newly constructed one- and two-family homes and townhomes. The adoption of the code will go into effect on October 1, 2019.
The Village of Bannockburn previously adopted the ICC 2018 edition, which went into effect on June 11, 2019.
Both villages make up the Deerfield-Bannockburn Fire Protection District.
“We are very pleased the entire fire district has requirements to keep our residents and firefighters safer,” said Fire Marshal Brian McCarthy.
Tom Lia, Executive Director of the Northern Illinois Fire Sprinkler Advisory Board, credits Fire Chief Ian Kazian, Deputy Fire Chief Ray Larson, and Fire Marshal Brian McCarthy for their persistence and motivating of the board. Using a NFPA 13D simulator display in the lobby of their fire district and conducting live fire and sprinkler burn demonstrations were key factors in the adoption of the codes.
According to NIFSAB, these villages join 113 other municipalities and fire protection districts in Illinois that require fire sprinklers in one- and two-family homes through the adoption of the model codes provided by the International Code Council and the NFPA.
SOUTH BELOIT, IL (August 27) – A single fire sprinkler quickly contained a fire in a fry unit of an oven at Axium Foods on Oak Grove Avenue on Tuesday, August 27 at 8:15p.m.
“We had the fire under control in about 15 minutes and the fire completely out in 20 minutes,” said
South Beloit Fire Chief Michael Davenport.
The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Source: rrstar.com
MOKENA, IL (August 2, 2919) – A fire sprinkler stopped a fire from spreading at the Hog Wild, located in the Gas N Wash on LaGrange Road. The Mokena Fire Protection District, responded to the call on August 2 around 11p.m. An employee dumped hot ash from a smoker into a plastic 35-gallon trash can which caused the fire.
“This is why we do this. A single sprinkler response saved a $1.1 million building that only suffered a loss of about $1,000,” said Mark Sickles, Fire Marshal, Mokena Fire Protection District. “The business was out of service for approximately five hours during cleanup and the repair and reset of the sprinkler system. Hog Wild didn’t lose one customer as a result of the incident. I love it when a plan comes together!”
Source: Mark Sickles, Fire Marshal, Mokena Fire Protection District
CHICAGO, IL (August 2, 2019) – Firefighters were called to a fire at the luxury Hotel Felix in River North the evening of August 1. Upon arrival, fire crews saw that a fire sprinkler controlled the blaze, confining it to one room. Firefighters easily extinguished the remaining fire. There were no injuries.
Hotel Felix has 225-rooms located in an historic building dating back to 1926.
Source: CBS Chicago
ELK GROVE, IL (July 23, 2019) – Fire sprinklers controlled the spread of a fire at ARO Enterprises, a landscape and snow removal company located at 1401 Tonne. The Elk Grove Village Fire Department responded to the alarm on July 23, 2019 at 7:33p.m. “Without the presence of this early detection system, the building and all of its contents would have been a total loss. Instead, damages were held to a minimum and ARO Enterprises suffered no disruption to its main business operations,” stated Jason Staidl, Fire Marshal of Elk Grove Village.
The remaining hot spots were extinguished with a simple pressurized water extinguisher, significantly limiting the typical water damage that occurs when use of a fire hose is necessary.
Although the building was initially built without fire sprinklers, the Village eventually required the installation of the sprinkler system due to the indoor storage of vehicles and related flammable materials.
Staidl went on to say, “The Elk Grove Village Fire Department is proud to share the story of this ‘Sprinkler Save’ to bring attention to the benefits of automatic fire sprinkler systems and their contribution to the preservation of life and property. No employees were on site at the time of the alarm. The fire is still under investigation and no foul play is suspected.
BATAVIA, IL (July 11, 2019) – A fire sprinkler system at a small company in Batavia put out a fire before firefighters arrived late Tuesday, July 2, at 11:00 PM.
Firefighters responded to a call of a fire at Mat Masters at 1055 Paramount Parkway in Batavia. Upon arrival, the fire crew found that the fire sprinkler system extinguished the fire and the area was controlled within 20 minutes.
The company offers floor mats, paper products, hand soaps, air fresheners and dust mops.
There were no injuries and the cause of the fire is under investigation.
Source: Kane County Chronicle
AURORA, IL (July 10, 2019) – Firefighters responded to a call of an assisted living apartment fire at the 1300 block of East Indian Trail around 1:09 p.m. on July 10. Upon arrival, they found that a fire sprinkler completely extinguished a fire in an end unit.
There were no injuries and the occupants were able to remain in their home after firefighters left. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Source: WSPY FM 107.1 News
RIVER FOREST, IL (July 9, 2019) – A single fire sprinkler extinguished a refrigerator fire in the basement of a Concordia University residence hall located at 74000 August Street at approximately 9:00p.m. on July 9. When fire crews responded to the fire alarm, they learned of a water-flow alarm for the same building where they found that the fire sprinkler, located directly above the refrigerator, had activated.
The River Forest Fire Department was assisted by Oak Park and Elmwood Park Fire Departments who responded to the fire on auto-aid.
Due to summer break, no student residents were in the building at the time.
“The sprinkler system and fire alarm did the job they were designed for. We were lucky the residence hall was unoccupied for the summer and can only imagine what would have happened if the fire occurred 2 months earlier with a building full of student residents,” said Fire Marshal Kevin Wiley, River Forest Fire Department
The estimated amount of money saved by the fire sprinkler activation was between $10 and $12 million.
Source: Kevin Wiley, Fire Marshal, River Forest Fire Department
AURORA, IL, (July 6) – Two fire sprinklers activated and extinguished a fire that appeared to originate in the kitchen of a third story Artesan Lofts apartment unit on Stolp Avenue. The Aurora Fire Department responded to an alarm called in at 8:24 a.m. on July 6.
There were no reported injuries. The official cause of the fire is under investigation.
Source: Aurora Patch
WHEELING, IL (June 15, 2019) – The Wheeling Fire Department responded to an alarm at Crothall Healthcare Laundry Systems on Hintz Road around 8:30 p.m. on Saturday. Upon arrival, they found that fire sprinklers controlled a fire inside the business.
Battalion Chief Mark Menzel of the Wheeling Fire Department said the fire was “held in check” by an automatic fire sprinkler system. Firefighters extinguished the fire and ventilated smoke from the building.
The business was closed at the time of the fire. The cause is under investigation. There were no injuries.
Source: Daily Herald
LEMONT, IL (June 27, 2019) – Lemont Fire Protection responded to a call of a fire in a boiler room at a warehouse at 9016 Murphy Road in Woodridge at 9:50 a.m on June 27th. Upon arrival, fire crews found that a single fire sprinkler activated and extinguished the fire. The warehouse stores and produces wine.
“If the fire would have spread outside the room, the loss would have been tremendous,“ said Fire Marshal Benjamin DeAnda of the Lemont Fire Protection District.
There was minimal damage and the facility resumed full operations shortly after the fire.
The cause of the fire appeared to be from spilled oil outside of the boiler.
Left to Right: Palatine’s Inspector Randy Dowell, Fire Marshal Jay Atherton and Tom Lia.
ORLAND PARK, IL (July 8, 2019) — The Illinois Fire Sprinkler Coalition, in conjunction with the Northern Illinois Fire Sprinkler Advisory Board (NIFSAB), has launched the Save-A-Day Challenge Coin campaign to recognize fire departments and districts that report successful fire sprinkler activations. Each fire department that reports an incident where a fire sprinkler controls or extinguishes a fire will receive a collector coin.
Fire Chief Scott Anderson, Deputy Chief Scott Mackeben and Fire Marshal Jay Atherton of the Palatine Fire Department are the first to receive the official Challenge Coin. Atherton completed the Save-A-Day form after a fire sprinkler extinguished a fire in an apartment kitchen. In addition to completing the form, Atherton submitted a press release promoting the life-and property-saving benefits that resulted from the apartment being protected with fire sprinklers. An American Flag coin holder will also be presented along with the first coin.
NIFSAB has kept a record of successful activations for almost 20 years based on information from fire departments and media reports. According to NIFSAB Executive Director Tom Lia, this information plays a vital role in supporting the need for upgrading fire and building codes that require fire sprinklers.
“When the fire service has information about fire sprinkler saves from their own or neighboring communities, it defends the need for codes that require sprinklers and supports codes that require sprinklers in all commercial and residential buildings,” Lia said.
“Successful activation information is also important to share with the media. Often, these stories are not covered. Quotes from fire leaders that talk about what would have happened without sprinklers or how sprinklers resulted in lives saved, no injuries and less damage, allowing business to stay open and people to return to their homes, can result in effective media coverage,” Lia added. “When a member of the fire service shares successful activation information, they are helping the entire fire safety community. That is why we are recognizing fire departments with this Save-A-Day Challenge Coin.”
Members of the fire service are encouraged to report all successful activations, commercial and residential, using the Save-A-Day online form. Those who complete the form will receive the Challenge Coin. The information must be submitted by a member of the fire service within the state of Illinois.
Each fire sprinkler success story should contain the following:
Success stories can be submitted on the Illinois Fire Sprinkler Coalition’s website. All verified “Saves” will be posted in the next edition of the Fire Sprinkler Times Newsletter and added to the “Saves” document, which is available on the website and to all municipal and interested officials.
ample of the support from NIFSAB for our students and for the fire service in our joint quest for the protection of the public through the use of sprinklers,” Norlin added.
Left to Right: Palatine’s Inspector Randy Dowell, Fire Marshal Jay Atherton and Tom Lia.
Eric Norlin, Fire Marshal with the Lincolnshire Riverwoods Fire Protection District and College of Lake County Instructor, shows the donated residential fire sprinkler display.
ORLAND PARK, IL (July 1, 2019) – The Northern Illinois Fire Sprinkler Advisory Board (NIFSAB) donated a residential fire sprinkler display to the Fire Science Technology program at the College of Lake County in Grayslake. Students will learn first-hand what a residential fire sprinkler looks like based on an NFPA 13D system for one- and two-family homes.
Eric Norlin, Fire Marshal of the Lincolnshire Riverwoods Fire Protection District and one of the instructors uses the display to show the contrast between a residential and commercial system. Norlin takes his students on tours through the buildings on campus to show them what a commercial fire sprinkler system looks like. “This display is a great tool to show students what a residential sprinkler riser looks like up close compared to viewing photos and illustrations in a classroom,” said Norlin.
Norlin is a former student of the Fire Science program at the college graduating in 1991. He has been an instructor since 1996. He looks forward to using the display even more in his fire prevention principles and fire protection systems courses next year.
“In my upcoming classes I will build my lesson plans around using this fire sprinkler display. I am also looking to add more teaching tools in the fire protection portion of the class,” Norlin said.
“Receiving this training tool is just another example of the support from NIFSAB for our students and for the fire service in our joint quest for the protection of the public through the use of sprinklers,” Norlin added.
WHEELING, IL (June 15, 2019) – The Wheeling Fire Department responded to an alarm at Crothall Healthcare Laundry Systems on Hintz Road around 8:30 p.m. on Saturday. Upon arrival, they found that fire sprinklers controlled a fire inside the business.
Battalion Chief Mark Menzel of the Wheeling Fire Department said the fire was “held in check” by an automatic fire sprinkler system. Firefighters extinguished the fire and ventilated smoke from the building.
The business was closed at the time of the fire. The cause is under investigation. There were no injuries.
Source: Daily Herald
Pre-shoot meeting with Chad Huennekens, president, United States Alliance Fire Protection; Noah Currier, founder, Oscar Mike Foundation and Jennifer Bertrand, host, Designing Spaces.
ORLAND PARK, IL (June 3, 2019) – Home fires become deadly in just two minutes or less. Survival depends on being able to escape, literally in seconds. For Noah Currier, a quadriplegic, that’s a terrifying reality.
“It takes me 10 minutes to get out of bed, into my wheelchair and outside,” he explains. And beyond his personal challenge, Currier’s house is more than a home. He runs weekly clinics out of it for the Oscar Mike Foundation in Poplar Grove, Illinois. He founded the foundation to help injured veterans get involved in adaptive sports.
Currier’s well-founded fear of fire – for himself and for others who visit his home – was completely eased recently when producers for the television show Designing Spaces heard that his home needed a remodel, and stepped up to make sure it would be protected with residential fire sprinklers.
Designing Spaces is a home improvement show that airs on Lifetime. The production team travels across the country to remodel, redecorate, and redesign homes. The Oscar Mike Foundation retrofit project made perfect sense for the team – an important mission with a vulnerable population. Those most at risk from home fire injury and death include people with disabilities, older adults and young children. Fire sprinklers protect all occupants, but they are especially beneficial in homes with people who cannot escape quickly.
Currier’s fire sprinkler system was donated through a combined effort of the National Fire Sprinkler Association (NFSA) and the Northern Illinois Fire Sprinkler Advisory Board (NIFSAB). United States Alliance Fire Protection (USAFP) was the fire sprinkler contractor that worked with the Designing Spaces team to design and retrofit the system in accordance with code requirements. USAFP President, Chad Huennekens, was interviewed and will appear in the segment talking about home fire sprinklers, the project, and how it will protect people in the home. The show featuring the fire sprinkler installation at the Oscar Mike Foundation is scheduled to air June 6, at 6:30 am CT on Lifetime. It is a 3-part series with USAFP included in the first segment. The episode will also be available online at https://designingspaces.tv/.
Currier is doubly relieved. Now his home, the Foundation, and the veterans he serves are protected if fire breaks out. He understands better than most how quickly a house fire can become deadly. “My dad was housesitting for his brother when the house caught on fire,” he says. “He was in the basement, and the fire started upstairs. He was severely burned, suffered smoke inhalation, and was in the hospital for a while. The home was lost.”
In a home fire, only the sprinkler closest to the fire activates, in response to the high heat of the flames (135˚-165˚F). The sprinkler works automatically to prevent the fire from spreading or to extinguish it. That provides lifesaving time to allow everyone in the home to safely escape while the fire department arrives. National model codes require home fire sprinklers in new construction.
A veteran himself, Currier’s foundation offers activities ranging from adaptive sports programs to events and other experiences. “We find that when you’re doing something active, you don’t think about the disability,” he said.
The Oscar Mike Compound is a 9,000 square-foot, fully accessible home. More than a dozen people with disabilities may be in the home at one time during activities.
“We’re really grateful for the support,” Currier said. “We’ve already had a few weeks of clinics come in since the remodel, and everyone is loving it. The home is going to be used to serve injured veterans for a long time.”
Pre-shoot rehearsal with Chad Huennekens, president, United States Alliance Fire Protection, Ryan Stanley, Designing Spaces Host, Peg Paul, PPA Communications and Christi Arce, producer, designing Spaces.
USAFP Sprinkler Fitter Brian Styles, Chad Huennekens, president, United States Alliance Fire Protection, Ryan Stanley, Designing Spaces host and Jeff LaForge, USAFP sprinkler fitter.
Chad Huennekens, president, United States Alliance Fire Protection and Jeff LaForge, USAFP sprinkler fitter discuss the riser in the lower level.
Jeff LaForge, USAFP sprinkler fitter, Ryan Stanley, Designing Spaces host, Chad Huennekens , president, United States Alliance Fire Protection, Jennifer Bertrand, Designing Spaces host and Brian Styles, USAFP sprinkler fitter.
Jeff LaForge and Brian Styles, USAFP sprinkler fitters, install pipe in the lower level.
Sprinkler install in the foyer