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Sprinklers

Why do Gloucestershire Fire and Rescue Service want all businesses including warehouse facilities, care homes and schools to consider installing sprinklers?

There is clear evidence that sprinklers can be effective in rapidly controlling and stopping the spread of fires.

The benefits of having a sprinkler system fitted to premises:

  • Reduce fire deaths and fire related injuries
  • Reduce the risk to firefighters
  • Protect property and heritage buildings including articles of high value
  • Reduce the effects of arson
  • Reduce the environmental impact of fire
  • Reduce the cost and disruption to the community and business

Watch below an animation on the benefits of sprinklers:

What do sprinklers do?

If a fire develops within a building sprinklers are designed to activate when a certain temperature is reached at ceiling level. The sprinklers then drench the fire with water; this will limit the spread of fire, keep the incident under control and sometimes even extinguish what is on fire.

How does a sprinkler work? Watch below to find out:

Some people worry that if a sprinkler is activated; all heads do the same causing more damage to the building. This is incorrect, only sprinklers within close proximity to the fire will be activated, meaning water will only be released in the places directly affected by the fire. Ignore what you see in the movies!

Their benefits far outweigh the potential for water damage in an isolated area when a head activates. These benefits include life and property saving results when actuated. This is recognised by building regulators, the fire and rescue service and the National Fire Chiefs Council who promote the instalment of these systems.

A fire can be devastating for any business of any size. Fire safety most importantly is about life safety, protecting your staff and customers at all times. 

Even a small incident may prevent a business from trading and have a significant knock-on effect that clients and customers go elsewhere. In many cases, the businesses will never truly recover and cease trading within a year of reopening. 

Sprinklers installed to commercial premises will protect lives and save businesses from potential closure if a fire was to occur.

Sprinklers can also allow flexibility and more use of space during the design period of buildings. Including sprinklers will enable designers to achieve greater freedom to fulfil their overall vision.

To put your mind at ease

  • Only the sprinkler head(s) directly affected by fire will activate
  • Sprinklers attack the fire quickly and directly, so less water is needed
  • They also operate the fire alarm
  • The flow can be quickly turned off when the fire is out
  • Whilst smoke detection systems alone do save lives, they do nothing to extinguish a growing fire
  • There is only a one in 16 million chance of a sprinkler malfunctioning

Myths and misconceptions

We will continue to promote this to become the norm and to be used for life and property saving solutions within new build and existing altered buildings.

The addition of life saving systems in our homes and businesses will make a positive and sustainable improvement to the overall safety of our community.

For more information