Well we did it!  The American Fire Service came together as one voice in Minneapolis, Minnesota on September 22^nd at the International Code Council meeting and by a 2/3 majority approved revisions to the building code that will require the installation of residential sprinkler systems in all 1 & 2 family homes.  Not only that, the membership floor vote OVERRODE an ICC committee vote which had disapproved the provision.  In the smaller committee vote the builders and developers of America had continued their opposition to this life-saving provision in the building code once again.  When the floor vote was taken, however, more than 1200 YES votes were cast which easily outdistanced the 400+ no votes.

The fight long from being over, however, as local governments make the decision for their localities to adopt the ICC building code—or use one of the other building codes that are published by various code writing organization—in whole or by amending sections of the code.  Here’s what one fire service reported had to say the next day:

This herculean act is the single most important life safety code proposal that has passed and will be effective in reducing death and injuries for generations to come in our country's most deadly living environment, the home. Having said this, the sprinkler issue will be battled at the local level for years to come. In the meantime, they will continue to construct these houses with no protection.

So where does your fire department and your local government stand on this issue?  Election Day is coming up in a couple of weeks and if members of your town council or county board are up for re-election ask them, “Where do you stand on the adoption of the ICC Building Code and the requirement for residential sprinkler systems in all new 1 & 2 family homes?”