News of devastating fires in other countries can cause many Americans to wonder if the building codes that we have in this country are more stringent or detailed.
The fictional deadly fire in the academy award winning movie Manchester by the Sea makes you double check both the fireplace and the stove top before leaving the house.
The fact is any time a tragic fire causes loss of life or property it should make everyone wonder about how well they are protected in their home. Fires, whether across the ocean in another country or on the big screen, cause loss of life and property. Knowing that you could have done something to prevent it, however, can cause an even bigger loss. The loss of confidence, self esteem, and a sense of what is right and wrong.
Fire alarm installations serve as the first level of warning that most people have, especially in a residential building. Business owners and property managers, on the other hand, often have many available types of fire protection services available to them. Additionally, commercial properties and multi unit apartments, as well as government agencies, schools, and hospitals, also have periodic fire alarm inspections to see that they are up to code.
Consider some of these statistics about the fire alarm installation service industry:
- Apartments, hotels, offices, and facilities that care for the sick are the property classes that account for half of high-rise fires in this country.
- 15 deaths and 150 injuries are caused by hotel and motel fires.
- Non-chemical suppression systems operate effectively 96% of the time in commercial areas with large oven ranges.
- The combination of installing early warning systems and automatic sprinklers in all buildings could reduce loss of life, overall injuries, and property damage by at least 50%.
- Fortunately, Fires in warehouse properties have declined substantially during the past 30 years. In fact, the numbers have dropped to 1,200 in the year 2011, after being as high as 4,700 in the year 1980.
- 19% of non-confined fires in hospitals are caused by electrical malfunction.
- Fires in warehouse properties have declined substantially over the past 30 years, from the year 4,700 in 1980 to 1,200 in 2011.
