NIFSAB Archives - Page 2 of 2 - Northern Illinois Fire Sprinkler Advisory Board

Illinois Joins Nationwide Virtual Campaign to Address Home Fire Problem

Orland Park, IL (May 14, 2020) – According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), a home fire can become deadly in as little as two minutes. That is largely due to the fact that today’s common synthetic furnishings burn hotter and faster and produce deadly toxic smoke when compared with the natural-material furnishings of decades ago. Although the number of home fires has come down over the years, residents are more likely to die if they have a home fire today than they were in 1980.

During the current COVID-19 pandemic, it has become increasingly evident through news coverage that stay-at-home mandates are in direct correlation with an increase in home cooking fires. This emphasizes the importance of the need to educate about fire safety, including fire sprinklers in new homes. Home fire sprinklers can help eliminate these unneeded tragedies.

The Northern Illinois Fire Sprinkler Advisory Board (NIFSAB), along with other members of the Illinois Fire Sprinkler Coalition, will virtually spread the word about the lifesaving benefits of home fire sprinklers during Home Fire Sprinkler Week, May 17 – 23. The North American-wide virtual campaign is a project of the NFPA Fire Sprinkler Initiative and the Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition (HFSC).

Throughout the week, fire departments and fire safety groups across the U.S. will access digital content at the Home Fire Sprinkler Week website and encourage their audiences to read and share daily home fire safety messaging. They will be posting home fire sprinkler videos, graphics and other information on their websites, through social media and via local news outlets.

According to Erik Hoffer, executive director, NIFSAB, home fire sprinklers have been in national model codes since 2009. More than 110 towns and fire districts in Illinois require home fire sprinklers installed in all new construction.

“During the week, we recognize elected officials, fire chiefs and members of the fire service who played a role in requiring fire sprinklers in new homes,” Hoffer said. “We want the public to understand how home fire sprinklers work and why they are vital in protecting residents and first responders. We hope to someday see a day when every new home built in Illinois and nationwide is protected with home fire sprinklers.”

For a list of Illinois towns and fire districts protected with home fire sprinklers visit: https://homelifesafety.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/NIFSAB-13D-Ordinance-Towns-B.pdf

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Lisa2023-06-05T16:07:17-05:00May 14th, 2020|Comments Off

New Lenox Fire Protection District Passes Ordinance Requiring All New Construction Protected With Fire Sprinklers

Members of the New Lenox Fire Protection District; (left to right) Deputy Chief Dan Turner, Fire Chief Adam Riegel, and Fire Marshal James Brown.

The New Lenox Fire Protection District passed an ordinance requiring all new construction in unincorporated areas of the fire district to be protected with fire sprinklers. The requirement includes all commercial and residential structures, including single-family homes.

According to Fire Chief Adam Riegel, not only will this requirement protect residents, visitors and firefighters, it will also have a positive economic impact. “Fire sprinklers keep business doors open,” states Riegel. “Often, businesses that experience larger fires without fire sprinklers never reopen or end up leaving town.”

Such was the case last August when the fire district responded to a fire at an unsprinklered commercial building in unincorporated New Lenox. It required a massive response, the fire spread to another building, Interstate 80 had to be shut down, and fire crews had to deal with flare-ups for days. Now, the parcel is vacant and it’s a loss of tax base for the fire district.

Deputy Chief Dan Turner notes the importance of requiring fire sprinklers in new homes and multifamily buildings as well. “We had two fatal fires in residences between 2017 and 2019, along with an unsprinklered apartment building fire in November 2018 that hospitalized two and displaced five families,” says Turner. “These deaths, injuries and displacements are preventable with fire sprinklers.”

Statistics from the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) show that approximately eight out of 10 fire deaths occur in homes and most often happen at night when people are sleeping. “Smoke alarms are key to warning people there is smoke from a fire, however, fire sprinklers are the only technology that can stop a fire from becoming deadly,” says Fire Marshal James Brown.

Erik Hoffer, executive director of the Northern Illinois Fire Sprinkler Advisory Board (NIFSAB), credits the New Lenox Protection District’s administration and board for passing the ordinance. “This is a win-win for the community and firefighters alike. It addresses the growing national concern of firefighter health and safety in regard to fires and the associated carcinogens,” Hoffer said. “Thanks to the foresight of this group, all future new construction will be protected with fire sprinklers and thereby save lives for generations to come.”

According to NIFSAB, there are more than 110 municipalities and fire protection districts in Illinois that require fire sprinklers in all new construction, regardless of building type, through the adoption of ordinances and model codes provided by the International Code Council and the NFPA.

Members of the New Lenox Fire Protection District; (left to right) Fire Chief Adam Riegel, Deputy Chief Dan Turner, Fire Marshal James Brown and Erik Hoffer, Executive Director for NIFSAB.

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Lisa2020-03-10T09:46:47-05:00February 19th, 2020|Comments Off

Frankfort Home Retrofit with Fire Sprinklers

Erik explains the water supply connections to Palos Park Chief Building Inspector Bob Adams.

ORLAND PARK, IL (November 27, 2019) – When Erik Hoffer, the Executive Director of the Northern Illinois Fire Sprinkler Advisory Board (NIFSAB), bought an existing home in Frankfort, he knew he would have it retrofit with home fire sprinklers before he and his family would move in.

“There are only a few homes in Frankfort that are protected with home fire sprinklers, so we weren’t able to find a sprinklered one,” he said. “Protecting our home and family with sprinklers was essential for us, but it also presented an important educational opportunity for our community.”

“Due to fire sprinkler myths that are on full display in television shows and movies, most people are not aware that fire sprinklers are individually heat activated and, therefore, do not all activate at once,” added Hoffer.

While the walls were still open and the fire sprinkler piping visible, Erik and his wife Karah held an open house to introduce their home to neighbors, elected officials, building officials, real estate agents and members of the fire service so they could see and learn about the system.

With daughters ages two and four years old, the priority for the Hoffers is protecting their family. Fire safety, in particular, is top of mind for Hoffer, who has spent 12 years of his career working with safety organizations developing educational campaigns, including fire sprinkler awareness. He joined NIFSAB two years ago as Field Operations Local Coordinator. In September, he was promoted to Executive Director.

“My role is to educate the various groups about the dangers of unwanted fire and the important life-safety role of fire sprinklers. I’ve had the opportunity to help area fire departments conduct live fire demonstrations that compare rooms with and without fire sprinklers. I’ve seen firsthand how quickly fire becomes deadly and how a single fire sprinkler can contain a fire or extinguish it. With my work advocating for fire sprinklers, there was no question I wanted to be able to say ‘yes’ when asked if I have sprinklers in my own home,” Hoffer said.

During the Hoffers’ open house, representatives from the nonprofit educational group Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition and the National Fire Sprinkler Association set up displays and offered educational information to guests. A representative from United States Alliance Fire Protection, the contractor that retrofit the home, was also available to answer installation questions.

Hoffer said he was very pleased with the turnout. “The village of Frankfort’s Mayor Jim Holland and Trustee Margaret Farina attended and asked a lot of questions. It was nice to have their interest and show them our new sprinklered home,” he said. “It was great to see fire officials from Frankfort and neighboring communities and meet some of our new neighbors.”

Typically, fire sprinklers are installed when a home is being built. Hoffer worked with USA Fire Protection because they also have experience retrofitting existing homes. The retrofit project took just over a week. The system also includes a strobe alarm mounted outside the home and an alarm inside the home. Hoffer said other than a few holes in some walls that need to be patched and some clean-up work, the family can move in to their fire-safe home.

“It will be nice to enjoy the holiday season in our new home. Now that we will be living in a sprinklered home, we will have peace of mind year-round.”

Frankfort Trustee Margaret Farina learns about the benefits of residential fire sprinklers.

NFPA 13D system with a residential fire pump assembly.

Left to right: Jen Peterson (USA Fire Protection), Marny McNitt (Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition, Frankfort Trustee Margaret Farina, Frankfort Mayor Jim Holland, Erik Hoffer (NIFSAB), Lisa Woodward (Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition).

USA Fire Protection’s Jen Peterson explains a sidewall sprinkler to some residents from the neighborhood.

Showing a concealed pendent fire sprinkler to a couple of REALTORS®.

Erik’s daughter’s Makenna and Madison lend a helping hand at the Open House.

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Lisa2019-11-27T14:49:11-06:00November 27th, 2019|Comments Off

More than 100 Homes Now Protected with Home Fire Sprinklers in the Village of Roselle

Pictured above from the Roselle Village Board: Wayne Domke, Heather Pransky, Clerk Patty Burns, David Pileski, Bruce Berkshire, Patrick Devitt, Mayor Andy Maglio, NIFSAB’s Erik Hoffer, Lee Trejo, Chief Daniel Anderson and Fire Marshal Robert Morris.

Ten years ago, the Village of Roselle adopted an ordinance that requires all new homes and homes that undergo additions of 50 percent or greater to be protected with home fire sprinklers. Now, the village, along with the surrounding unincorporated area within the Roselle Fire Department’s jurisdiction, has experienced a milestone with more than 100 homes protected with the lifesaving technology. To recognize the achievement, the Northern Illinois Fire Sprinkler Advisory Board presented the village board members and fire officials with a plaque at their village board meeting October 28.

“Kudos to then Fire Marshal Tom Biscan and administrators who had the foresight ten years ago to require residential fire sprinkler systems to protect current and future citizens and occupants,” said Fire Marshal Bob Morris.

Over the years, the Roselle Fire Department has conducted side-by-side fire and sprinkler burn demonstrations annually during its fire safety open house at the fire department to educate the public about how home fire sprinklers work. Morris said the demonstrations are important. He said a member of the fire department overheard a resident comment that after seeing the demonstration, he understands why installing fire sprinklers in his home was required.

Morris also mentioned that some of the homes in the district are on a well and not using the municipal water supply. That doesn’t hinder the fact that a fire sprinkler system can be installed.

The Village of Roselle is one of more than 110 communities in Illinois that require home fire sprinklers. Congratulations to the Village of Roselle for more than 100 homes that are sprinkler protected, and to all the communities for taking action to protect their citizens.

Roselle Mayor Andy Maglio accepts the recognition plaque from Erik Hoffer/NIFSAB.

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Lisa2019-11-22T12:55:16-06:00November 8th, 2019|Comments Off

Fire Departments Use Live Fire Demonstrations To Teach About Fire Prevention

Illinois fire official Mike Figolah narrates a fire and sprinkler burn demonstration.

Orland Park, IL (October 1, 2019) – The Northern Illinois Fire Sprinkler Advisory Board (NIFSAB) is assisting local fire departments in conducting live burn demonstrations to educate the public about how quickly fires can become deadly, as well as the important life-and property-saving benefits of fire sprinklers. The events are centered around National Fire Prevention Week, which runs October 6 to 12.

The demonstrations provide a side-by-side comparison with two similarly furnished rooms — only one with a fire sprinkler installed in the room. Audiences will be able to feel the extreme heat and view the quick growth of fire in the unprotected room and compare it with the quick response and cooling action of the fire sprinkler in the other room. The demonstrations also allow fire departments to talk to attendees about pre-fire planning, smoke alarms, and escape plans.

“These demonstrations provide a dramatic visualization of the speed at which fire grows due to the high flammability of synthetic furnishings in today’s homes, but they also prove how fast fire sprinklers respond to fire and control or extinguish it,” says fire safety advocate and NIFSAB Executive Director Erik Hoffer. “It’s important that homeowners understand that fire sprinklers are not just for commercial buildings. Home fire sprinklers are individually activated by heat and provide a line of defense to allow homeowners to safely escape.”

By the end of the year, NIFSAB will have assisted with approximately 48 side-by-side fire and sprinkler burn demonstrations, along with 23 fire sprinkler trailer demonstrations.

More than 110 Illinois communities now require fire sprinklers in new construction homes, and many more require them in new multi-family and commercial buildings, because sprinklers not only protect occupants and property, but they also protect the lives of first responders.

Below is a list of upcoming fire and sprinkler burn demonstrations:

Wednesday, Oct. 2:
Warrenville Fire Protection District

Saturday, Oct. 5:
Norwood Park Fire Protection District (Trailer Demonstration)
Palatine Fire Department
Aurora Regional Fire Museum (Trailer Demonstration)
Minooka Fire Protection District
Darien-Woodridge Fire Protection District with Lisle-Woodridge Fire Protection District
Lemont Fire Protection District
Bartlett Fire Protection District
La Grange Fire Department
Barrington Fire Department

Sunday, Oct. 6:
Lake Zurich Fire Department
Sugar Grove Fire Protection District
Garden Homes Fire Protection District

Monday, Oct. 7:
Moraine Valley Community College
Western Springs Fire Department (Trailer Demonstration)

Thursday, Oct. 10:
Westchester Fire Department

Saturday, Oct. 12:
Alsip Fire Department
Westmont Fire Department
Elk Grove Village Fire Department (Trailer Demonstration)
Wood Dale Fire Protection District
Plainfield Fire Protection District
Elgin Fire Department
Rolling Meadows Fire Department
Country Club Hills Fire Department
LaGrange Park Fire Department

Sunday, Oct. 13:
Elmhurst Fire Department

Saturday, Oct. 19:
Berwyn Fire Department
Bloomingdale Fire Protection District
St. Charles Fire Department

Wednesday, Oct. 23:
Chicago Ridge Fire Department

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Lisa2019-10-03T12:47:13-05:00October 1st, 2019|Comments Off

Northern Illinois Fire Sprinkler Advisory Board Promotes Erik Hoffer as New Executive Director

Erik Hoffer, new Executive Director of the Northern Illinois Fire Sprinkler Advisory Board

Orland Park, IL (September 19, 2019) – The Northern Illinois Fire Sprinkler Advisory Board (NIFSAB) and the National Fire Sprinkler Association (NFSA) named Erik Hoffer as the organization’s new Executive Director. Hoffer will work closely with members of the fire service, elected officials, building officials and decision-makers to raise public awareness about the life- and property-saving benefits of fire sprinklers, provide training, and promote progressive legislation.

Hoffer has 12 years experience working with the fire sprinkler industry and fire service. He joined NIFSAB and NFSA more than two years ago as Field Operations Local Coordinator where he has worked with fire departments and municipalities utilizing NIFSAB and NFSA resources to support their public awareness and advocacy efforts, including live fire sprinkler demonstrations, as well as their code and legislative activities.

Prior to joining NIFSAB, Hoffer was account executive at PPA Communications, a marketing communications firm that specializes in developing and implementing information and education campaigns for safety advocacy groups and trade associations. During that time, Hoffer worked closely with NIFSAB, Illinois Fire Safety Alliance, Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition (NFSA is a founding member), NFPA and other organizations.

“As board members, we’ve worked with Erik for a number of years and we are confident he will do a good job in this leadership position,” said Matt Treutelaar, Chair of the NIFSAB board and president, Great Lakes Plumbing and Heating Company. “He understands the industry and the issues. He has built strong relationships and works well with members of the fire service, contractors and other stakeholders that utilize NIFSAB’s resources.”

“Erik has been a valued teammate at NFSA for the past two years and in the industry for more than a decade,” said NFSA President Shane Ray. “He has a great opportunity to build on the legacy Tom Lia has spent 20 years building.”

Hoffer said he is excited about his new role and is ready to move forward. “NIFSAB has a great legacy of providing fire sprinkler education and resources to its fire and building official partners and their communities. I am proud to be part of that tradition.”

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Lisa2019-09-23T01:44:40-05:00September 19th, 2019|Comments Off