College Sprinkler Flood Accidents

Enjoy ourBack to School collection of College Dorm Room sprinkler head mishap videos at #ShouldaHadaShutgun Top three college dorm sprinkler accident culprits: 

1. Soccer balls;
2. Frisbees;
3. Clothes lines/hangers

First Ontario Home Project to include sprinkler systems

 MacKenzie Ridge Terraces, in Vaughan Ontario, is the first production home project in Ontario to include sprinklers as a standard feature, which fire departments and insurance companies have been advocating for years.

They will equip 136 executive townhomes and six semi-detached homes, with a fire-suppressant sprinkler system in each room plus a heat detection system installed in each garage and wired into the home’s smoke detector alarm system.

In addition, Co-operators Insurance has offered purchasers at Mackenzie Ridge a 10 per cent minimum reduction in insurance premiums because of the sprinkler system. Fire alarms and other fire safety features has opened the home insurance company to consider further premium discounts.

"This advocates what we have been encouraging for years," said Greg Patterson, "Which is to give incentives for building owners and residents who add fire safety measures and equipment to their fire safety plans."

John Caruso, Vaughan’s fire prevention officer, said 15 per cent of house fires in Vaughan last year started in the garage.

Click here to read Toronto Star article.

Shutgun’s New York College Campus Giveaway

On the heels of the Kerry Rose Fire Sprinkler Notification Act signed by governor Cuomo on July 25, Shutgun is issuing a Sprinkler Awareness Challenge to all New York College Campuses to enhance awareness among students and staff on proper sprinkler use and safety.

“This bill has heightened awareness around fire safety on college campuses,” said Greg Patterson, engineer and President of Shutgun. “We are challenging campus operators to take this bill one step further with our sprinkler awareness challenge."

Shutgun’s Sprinkler Awareness Challenge will offer a free Shutgun tool, along with demonstration videos and fire sprinkler FAQ document to every college campus in New York State. Managers can enter here to receive their free kit by mail. If interest persists, Shutgun will consider extending this offer to other Canadian and U.S. regions.

There are over 300 college campuses in New York State, most equipped with sprinkler systems. “Now that students are living with these devices, they should be made aware of how to treat them and the proper procedures around sprinkler safety,” said Patterson.  “We also want the staff to have the right tools in their kit in case a sprinkler emergency does occur.”

Though accidental fire sprinkler activations are rare, there are several well documented reports of sprinkler floods in college dorms.  The results range from thousands of dollars in water damage to hundreds of displaced students with disrupted schedules.

The Top examples of accidental sprinkler head activation in college dorms as;  Hanging Clothes (and other items) from the sprinkler head; Soccer balls; and Frisbees!

View a list of top college dorm sprinkler flood videos on twitter at #Shouldahadashutgun.