April 21, 2003—In a recent survey commissioned by the National Concrete Masonry Association (NCMA), one thousand American adults were asked, “What do you think would most contribute to fire safety in buildings?”
Sprinkler systems were identified by 44 percent of the respondents as having the greatest potential for contributing to fire safety in buildings. Next were fire exits (26 percent), followed by fire detectors (14 percent) and firewalls (10 percent).
Mark B. Hogan, NCMA president, responded to the findings by saying, “Over reliance on sprinklers or any one protective measure is a dangerous practice. Many people don’t realize that fire safety requires balanced design with three very important elements: fire detection, fire suppression, and fire containment. Fire detection includes the installation of smoke detectors and fire alarms; active fire suppression includes the use of sprinkler systems; and the third element, fire containment, includes fire and smoke barriers, fire walls, and exterior walls built of noncombustible fire resistant materials having the structural integrity to remain intact during and after a fire such as concrete masonry.
“The fact that sprinkler systems were cited by many people in the survey indicates we have a lot of work to do to address the public’s concern for fire safety and the desire to improve safety,” he concluded.
Other findings in the survey include:
- 47 percent of the respondents believed building code and fire code officials are the people most responsible for making sure buildings are constructed to prevent fires and to help save lives when fire strikes.
- 85 percent said that stricter building codes for public and commercial buildings would improve fire safety.
- 79 percent said they want safer, less combustible materials used in buildings, even if it means increased construction costs and higher prices passed on to consumers.
