This summer, the Lake County Board adopted the 2018 series of International Code Council codes, which took effect for unincorporated areas of the county on July 27. The adoption implements the International Residential Code, which requires the installation of fire sprinklers in all new one- and two-family homes. As part of the code adoptions, the minimum threshold for commercial buildings to be protected with fire sprinklers was also lowered to 5,000 square feet. Prior to this, the threshold for commercial buildings varied throughout the county.

Fire officials throughout Lake County and members of the Northern Illinois Fire Inspectors Association (NIFIA) worked with Lake County Building & Zoning for two years to achieve this adoption. Wauconda Fire District Fire Marshal Mike DaValle, also president of NIFIA, explained that time was the main challenge in adopting the codes. “It took us two election cycles,” he said. “We would present something to Lake County Building & Zoning but then they would have to bring it to each of the various members of the Lake County Board to review and gather their input. That process added further delay.”

Lake County Board Members

The codes will cover 23 unincorporated areas of the county. DaValle explained the driver of the code adoptions was to keep residents and the firefighters safer from fire.

“(These codes) make sure everyone is safe and that we’re all on the same page,” DaValle said. “When it relates to residential fire sprinklers, for the longest time we would struggle because some fire districts had not adopted them in unincorporated areas, and some had challenges with adopting them. Sometimes, something would slip through. We might not have seen a code, a permit list, or that a home was supposed to be built and needed a fire sprinkler system. Now, everything is standardized.  It doesn’t matter if it is one house standing on its own or a whole new neighborhood. It’s all going to be the same, and it’s all going to be as safe as possible.”

# # # #

By Erik Hoffer, Executive Director, Northern Illinois Fire Sprinkler Advisory Board

 Summary of Fires in Unsprinklered Residential High-Rises in Chicago This Year

• Jan. 25: 4850 S. Lake Park Ave. – 1 resident death
• Apr. 5: 1212 N. Lake Shore Dr. – 1 firefighter death, others injured
• Apr. 8: 6430 S. Stony Island Ave. – Residents injured
• Apr. 12: 6151 N. Winthrop Ave.
• May 4: 6730 S. South Shore Dr. – 2 resident deaths in this same building in a 2013 fire
• July 31: 7100 S. South Shore Dr.
• Aug. 18: 421 W. Montrose St. – 1 resident critically injured
• Sep. 10: 3620 S. Rhodes Ave.
• Sep. 23: 3550 S. Rhodes Ave.
• Oct. 4: 6401 S. Yale Ave.
• Oct. 9: 3110 N. Sheridan Rd. – 1 resident critically injured

Less than 10 months. Eleven fires. Residents and firefighters killed and injured. Residents displaced for months on end and lives disrupted. Precious memories destroyed. Millions in property losses.

Like clockwork, the fires keep happening. And in unsprinklered high-rises the destruction of fires is massive.  We must not become numb to the persistent tragedy of high-rise fire losses that could have been prevented by retrofitting the buildings with fire sprinklers. This is a problem in Chicagoland and across our state.

The fire danger in older residential high-rises is alarming. There are roughly 600 to 700 unsprinklered high-rises in Chicago alone. These substandard buildings risk the lives of residents as well as responding firefighters.

Anyone living in a high-rise without fire sprinklers is living in extreme danger. Residents of unsprinklered high-rises are much more likely to die or be injured in a fire, and those lucky enough to escape a high-rise fire may face significant property losses. According to the NFPA report, U.S. Experience with Sprinklers (2021), “Sprinklers reduce the impact of fires. Compared to reported fires in properties with no automatic extinguishing systems (AES), when sprinklers were present, the civilian fire death and injury rates per fire were 89 percent and 27 percent lower, respectively. The rate of firefighter injuries per fire was 60 percent lower.”

Fire sprinklers are the single most effective way to protect high-rise occupants, firefighters and property when a fire occurs. All high-rises that lack this critical safeguard should be retrofitted with sprinklers due to the fact that high-rises present life-safety challenges such as smoke movement and control, large numbers of people, and longer egress distances traveled on stairs.

Fire sprinklers can stop a fire in less than one-and-a-half minutes, giving residents more time to escape, protecting residents and firefighters and dramatically reducing property damage. Sprinklers prevent fires from reaching flashover, which can trap and kill occupants in as little as two minutes.

In addition to the savings in lives and property, sprinklers have monetary value. Installed fire sprinklers earn residents reduced fire insurance rates and make a high-rise more attractive to prospective occupants. Plus, installing fire sprinklers in residential high-rise buildings yields insurance savings for building owners when common areas are sprinklered.

“These tragic fires simply didn’t have to happen,” said Erik Hoffer, executive director of NIFSAB. “Any high-rise without fire sprinklers is high risk and needs to retrofitted with them to keep residents and firefighters safe.”

####

Tinley Park, IL (September 22, 2023) – As part of national Fire Prevention Week, the Northern Illinois Fire Sprinkler Advisory Board (NIFSAB) is teaming up with fire departments in the greater Chicago region to conduct live burn demonstrations at their open house events.

These dramatic and effective demonstrations will show the public how fast fires can become deadly, while conveying the crucial benefits of fire sprinklers. Fire Prevention Week runs from October 8 to 14 and this year’s theme is: “Cooking safety starts with You. Pay attention to fire prevention.”

In the side-by-side fire and sprinkler burn demonstrations, two similarly furnished rooms, each with smoke alarms, will be set on fire. One room will feature a single fire sprinkler, the other room will not. Attendees will be able to feel the extreme heat and see the rapid spread of fire in the unsprinklered room and contrast it with how quickly the sprinkler responds and controls or extinguishes the fire in the other room.

Besides these up close and personal demonstrations, fire departments will discuss typical fire department response times, the importance of working smoke alarms, and well-practiced escape plans.

“Because today’s homes tend to have open designs and furniture and other contents made from petroleum-based plastics and synthetic materials, a fire can turn deadly in less than two minutes,” said NIFSAB Executive Director Erik Hoffer.  “These fires burn hotter and faster than years ago while also producing more deadly, toxic smoke. With these demonstrations, people can see how fast the entire room ignites and reaches flashover, which not even firefighters in their full gear can survive. Simultaneously, they can see how heat automatically activates a fire sprinkler, stopping the fire from becoming deadly and giving people precious time to evacuate.”

There are more than 115 Illinois communities that have ordinances or codes requiring fire sprinklers in all new construction homes. Fire sprinklers not only help safeguard occupants and property, they also protect the lives of first responders.

Home fire sprinklers have controlled or extinguished thousands of cooking fires over the years, but the best strategy is to prevent these fires from starting in the first place. Cooking is the leading cause of home fires by far, accounting for about half of all U.S. home fires. During Fire Prevention Week, fire departments will also be educating their communities about the simple but crucial actions they can take when cooking to keep themselves and those around
them safe.

Below is a list of upcoming fire and sprinkler burn demonstrations. Please contact NIFSAB or the fire departments for more details.

Saturday, September 23:
Des Plaines Fire Department
Glenview Fire Department
Naperville Fire Department
Pleasantview Fire Protection District
West Dundee Fire Department

Sunday, September 24:
Mundelein Fire Department

Saturday, September 30:
Buffalo Grove Fire Department
Itasca Fire Protection District
Lemont Fire Protection District

Sunday, October 1:
Lockport Township Fire Protection District

Monday, October 2:
Moraine Valley Community College -Fire Service Program

Wednesday, October 4:
Warrenville Fire Protection District

Saturday, October 7:
Algonquin-Lake in the Hills Fire Protection District
Aurora Regional Fire Museum
Darien-Woodridge Fire Protection District
Elk Grove Village Fire Department
Evanston Fire Department
Hammond (Indiana) Fire Department
Hoffman Estates Fire Department
La Grange Park Fire Department
Lansing Fire Department
Norwood Park Fire Protection District
Palatine Fire Department
Roberts Park Fire Protection District
Schaumburg Fire Department

Sunday, October 8:
Countryside Fire Protection District

Monday, October 9:
Western Springs Fire Department

Tuesday, October 10:
La Grange Fire Department

Wednesday, October 11:
Chicago Ridge Fire Department

Friday, October 13:
Beecher Fire Protection District

Saturday, October 14:
Batavia Fire Department
Bolingbrook Fire Department
Hillside Fire Department
Hinsdale Fire Department
Hobart (Indiana) Fire Department
Hoffman Estates Fire Department
Homewood Fire Department
Lake Bluff Fire Department
Northbrook Fire Department
Richton Park Fire Department
Rolling Meadows Fire Department
Romeoville Fire Department
St. Charles Fire Department
Streamwood Fire Department
Villa Park Fire Department
Wauconda Fire Protection District

Sunday, October 15:
Forest View Fire Department

Saturday, October 21:
Hoffman Estates Fire Department
Oswego Fire Protection District

Sunday, October 22:
Bloomingdale Fire Protection District

Monday, October 23:
Hampshire Fire Protection District

Saturday, October 28:
Highland Park Fire Department

###

Wednesday, June 28, 2023
3:30 – 8:00 pm
Northern Illinois Fire Sprinkler Advisory Board Facility
7605 185th Street
Tinley Park, IL

The Northern Illinois Fire Sprinkler Advisory Board and National Fire Sprinkler Association – Illinois Chapter invite you to a social gathering at our facility.

WHO’S INVITED?:
• Fire and building officials
• Municipal, county, and state officials
• Fire sprinkler/protection industry professionals

Join us for FREE food, beverages, and more!  (Food provided by Smokin’ Z BBQ Food Truck.)

Please RSVP to [email protected] by Wednesday, June 21, so we have an accurate headcount for food & beverages.

National fire safety leaders joined together to underscore both the home fire problem and the importance of home fire sprinkler installations.

Watch the event here

Headlining the event….

Jim Pauley, President, National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
Dr. Lori Moore-Merrell, U.S. Fire Administrator
Chief Donna Black, President, International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC)

Following their comments, Reliable Automatic Sprinkler in Liberty, South Carolina hosted a ceremony where Shane Ray, president, National Fire Sprinkler Association donated a fire and sprinkler demonstration trailer to the South Carolina Fire Sprinkler Coalition. Speakers included Kevin Fee, president/CEO of Reliable Automatic Sprinkler; SC State Fire Marshal Jonathan Jones; Josh Holzheimer, president, South Carolina Firefighters Association; and Pam Elliott, a fire safety advocate who experienced burn injuries as a child in a house fire. Following the ceremony, Shane Ray moderated a fire and sprinkler demonstration with the new trailer.

####

The Village of Wauconda Village Board with Deputy Chief Devin Mueller, Fire Chief Pat Kane and Erik Hoffer of the Northern Illinois Fire Sprinkler Advisory Board.

Mayor Jeff Sode and Erik Hoffer, Northern Illinois Fire Sprinkler Advisory Board

Mayor Jeff Sode, Erik Hoffer from the Northern Illinois Fire Sprinkler Advisory Board and Fire Chief Pat Kane.

The villages of Wauconda and Island Lake have upgraded their codes. All new one- and two-family homes are now required to be protected with home fire sprinklers. These two villages join the list of more than 110 communities and fire districts in Illinois with the requirement that ultimately protects residents and first responders from house fires.

According to Fire Marshal Mike DaValle, Wauconda Fire District, the process to move forward with the requirement went smooth.

“For both communities, the process was simple. We worked with the respective building departments to craft the language, and then met with the village boards during their meetings to go over the NFPA 13D adoption and why it is important,” DaValle said. “We showed them data about how many sprinkler saves occurred in the area, as well as fire death statistics in residential settings. We also showed the cost of installing a system. There was never any objection or question of the importance of this for both communities.”

Wauconda Fire District covers several municipalities, including Wauconda and Island Lake. DaValle had been working with these municipalities to adopt the updated codes, and it just so happened that Wauconda and Island Lake updated their codes within months of each other.

“This helps the communities by keeping new homes and their occupants safe,” DaValle said. “It further shows that both villages care about their residents, as 90 percent of people who die in fires each year die in a residential setting. It also protects our firefighters. If we respond to a fire in a home with sprinklers, the fire will either be under control or extinguished. By updating their codes, we are helping to reduce injury and death from house fires, making our communities safer.”

Congratulations to both communities for updating their codes.

####

Left to Right front row: Trustee Lance Neuses, Lt. Tony Farina, President Bill Hauck, Fire Chief Brad Delatorre, Trustee Dennis Krenz and Captain Andy Veath Left to Right back row: Fire Inspector Scott Pelletreau, FF. Brain Pelletreau, FF. Rob Hutchings and FF. Austin Tennell

Through a capital improvement plan, the Cary Fire Protection District recently retrofitted Station 2 with a fire sprinkler system. This comes ten years after Station 1 was retrofitted. Now all of the fire district’s firefighters and equipment are protected from fire while in quarters.

The fire sprinkler system at Station 2 protects 9,400 square feet, which includes sleeping quarters for six, an apparatus bay, and a mechanical room. The 6,800 square foot apparatus bay accommodates eight vehicles including an ambulance, two fire engines, a tanker, a grass-fire jeep, two pickup trucks, and a dive trailer.

Chief Brad Delatorre said he feels comfortable knowing the fire district’s firefighters, building and apparatus are protected. “I would hate to see us out on a call and something happen to the firehouse. If something caused a fire in either of our stations, sprinklers will keep the fire in check,” he said.

Automatic Fire Systems retrofit Station 2, but were able to do so with relative ease since staff temporarily moved out of the building. One challenge of the project was upgrading a two-inch water main line to an eight-inch line Delatorre said.

Station 1 was retrofitted with fire sprinklers in 2013 and then had a remodel a few years ago that required additional fire sprinkler work. The station is 15,100 square feet with 8 sleeping quarters and accommodates 7 vehicles. Nelson Fire Protection initially retrofit Station 1 and Absolute Fire Protection installed the sprinklers in the later addition.

“In addition to protecting our firefighters and our firehouses, it is important to set an example for the community,” said Fire Inspector Scott Pelletreau.

####

Fire Chief Brad Delatorre and Fire Inspector Scott Pelletreau showing the riser within Fire Station #2.

Station #2 Dispatch Room

Station #2 Bunk Room

Station #2 Family Room Area

Station #1 Has fire sprinklers as well.

Station #1 Office. The ladies are protected with fire sprinklers.

Station #1 Work Room

Station #1 Fire Sprinkler protected as well.

Tuesday & Wednesday, June 13 & 14 (2-Day)
8:00 am – 4:00 pm (CT)

Mid-America Carpenters Regional Council
1256 Estes Avenue
Elk Grove Village, IL

Instructor, Ron Ritchey, Great Lakes Field Services Coordinator, National Fire Sprinkler Association (NFSA)

Check-in begins at 7:30 am.
Boxed lunch will be issued for 14.0 ICC contact hours.

Please register by Monday, June 5. 

Register at www.bit.ly/plan-review-23
Class is FREE with gift card #GIFT-01029

Questions?  Please contact Erik Hoffer:  [email protected] or 708-403-4468

Flyer-PlanReviewClass-06.13&14.2023

For more than 30 years, the Village of Wheeling has been a leader in Illinois and nationally with their residential fire sprinkler requirements. Many of the residents living in the Whippletree Village Manufactured Home Community are protected with fire sprinklers because of this history. Currently, 35 manufactured homes are protected with fire sprinklers with another 37 going in.  Approximately 75 single family homes have sprinkler coverage as well as numerous townhomes in Wheeling.

Wheeling first included fire sprinkler requirements in the Village’s Building and Fire Prevention code during the 1990s. It was written as part of the Municipal Code with a section that said all structures were required to have automatic fire sprinklers, including manufactured housing.

Ten years ago, the Village further solidified its fire sprinkler codes by upgrading to the 2012 edition of the International Residential Code (IRC) with local amendments that required fire sprinklers in all new buildings regardless of square footage or occupancy classification.

According to Fire Prevention Manager Bob Niemiec, Wheeling’s most recent code adoption cycle upgraded the village to the 2018 edition of the IRC.

“The current adopted Municipal Code contains provisions modifying portions of NFPA 13D removing exceptions or adding provisions, such as sprinkler coverage in garages, bathrooms and other items that met the Department’s intent of providing sprinkler protection throughout all structures,” Niemiec said.

“Also included over the years were changes to the codes to include enhancements to sprinkler protection like tying the sprinkler water flow to the occupancy’s smoke alarm system. So like most codes, it’s growing and adapting.”

Early on, there were some challenges in getting this code passed; however, former Fire Chief Keith MacIsaac was a strong proponent of fire sprinklers and put a lot of local ordinance code language into effect.

Deputy Fire Chief Steve Mella spoke on how much damage could be done, especially to manufactured homes without fire sprinklers.

“When we had fires in a mobile home park, the homes are typically very, very close to each other. The fire spread was rapid, and it was a challenge to keep the fire contained to one of the manufactured homes,” Mella said. “Manufactured homes are lightweight construction, so they do  burn quickly. All homes with modern-day furnishings are mostly plastic, so homes, whether they are multifamily, single-family, or manufactured homes, the furnishings burn much, much quicker than legacy construction and legacy furnishings ever did. So anything we can do to save lives and minimize property damage, we’re most certainly going to advocate for.”

####

Tinley Park, IL (January 25, 2023) – The fatal fire at the 25-story Harper Square Cooperative building at 4850 S. Lake Park Ave in Chicago could have been prevented if the high-rise would have been fully protected with a fire sprinkler system in all living units according to the Northern Illinois Fire Sprinkler Advisory Board (NIFSAB).

The fire, which appears to have begun in a 15^th floor unit, broke through windows, and then climbed vertically on the exterior of the building, affecting the 15^th to 24^th floors. One resident perished, 8 residents were transported to the hospital in stable condition, and 1 firefighter had minor injuries.

Records show that the building was constructed in 1970 before the 1975 City of Chicago Municipal Code requiring fire sprinkler systems. Following the deadly fire at the Cook County Administration building in 2003, high-rise building owners were encouraged to retrofit their buildings with fire sprinklers. This building is among hundreds of residential high-rises that chose to forgo the installation of fire sprinklers when complying with the city’s Life Safety Evaluation.

According to NIFSAB’s Executive Director Erik Hoffer, if a fire starts in a room with fire sprinklers, the sprinkler closest to the fire activates and immediately starts controlling the fire.

# # #