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Letter to the Editor: Smoke Detectors Prevent Fire Deaths
In response to your Dec. 15 story, “ICC Panel Upholds Vote on Fire Sprinkler Mandate,” I have to say I have been on the sidelines on the home sprinkler issue, but it does interest me.
In my corporate America days I was an expert technical witness for a telecommunications company, so I know a bit about how these hearings and appeals are done. Also, my father was a fireman, so that line of work is also familiar.
It seems to me that the best way to prevent deaths in a residential fire is to get people out of the house with a smoke detector system that will sound the alarm faster than the time it takes for a sprinkler system to go off.
The real deal here for me, though, is the ongoing maintenance issue and the need to ensure that the system is in proper working order. I know I would not buy a house with a sprinkler system that had not been inspected.
The other thing is kids will be kids, and throwing things in the house or a little too much daily activity could set one off. The clean-up and mold issues would be huge.
I would think you could get a lot of community groups involved in opposing mandatory sprinklers. We need better alarm systems (people do not even maintain these properly when all you have to do is change the battery), strong adherence to building codes that reduce the spread of fires and less government involvement, not more.
David Shaffer
Troy, Mich.
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