”We Care For You”
(Scottsdale Fire Department Mission Statement)
The Scottsdale Experience
“If I had asked my customers
what they wanted……….
they’d have asked for a faster horse”
Henry Ford
The Scottsdale Experience
“Scottsdale’s Sprinkler Ordinance is a model
of it’s kind and it would be impossible to
overstate the credit due the City of
Scottsdale for its implementation …..........
There is no question that it will have
a major ameliorative effect on fire incidence
in the future”
1989 - Independent Fire Panel Report to the COS City Manager
America Burning Reports
A series of landmark documents that called for dramatic shifts in the
operational paradigm of the American Fire Service

1947 Presidents Conference on Fire Prevention

1973 Original America Burning Report
National Commission on Fire Prevention and Control

1987 America Burning Revisited
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
U.S. Fire Administration

2000 America Burning Re-commissioned
Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
U.S. Fire Administration
*
Series of NFPA Community Fire Needs Assessments
2000 America Burning Re-commissioned
* FEMA and U.S. Fire Administration Sponsored
“The frequency and severity of fires in America is a result
of our nation’s failure to adequately apply and fund
known loss reduction strategies”.
“Ways to reduce fire losses and deaths are neither unknown
or arcane…Sprinklers are acknowledged as the most
effective tool in immediately suppressing fires,
minimizing damage and saving lives”.
“Had past recommendations of America Burning (1973)
and subsequent reports been implemented, there would
have been no need for this Commission”.
Vested Stakeholders
Opposition
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•
Homebuilders
Elected Officials
Realtors
Water Departments
Building Officials
Fire Service
General Public
•
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Supporters
National Safety Advocates
Industry
Elected Officials
Realtors
Water Department
Building Officials
Fire Service
General Public
Seduction of Fire
SCOTTSDALE’S HISTORY OF PROACTIVE
FIRE CODE DEVELOPMENT
 Sept 3, 1974
Ord #829 adopted 1973 UFC and all
occupancies larger than 3 stories or 7500 sq ft
required to be protected with automatic
sprinkler systems
 April 19-21, 1982
Scottsdale residential sprinkler tests
(new homes)
 June 4, 1985
Approval of Ord #1709 and 1982 UFC by the
Scottsdale City Council. All new structures,
including (SF res), required to be sprinklered.
 June 10, 2007
Adopt 2006 IFC (Ord 3738) & amendments
 Dec 4, 2012
Adopt 2012 IFC (Ord 4045) & amendments
 Sept 10, 2014
Adopt Assembly Public Safety Plan (Ord 4109)
New Consensus Code Cycles every 3 years (IRC/IFC/IBC/NFPA)
SCOTTSDALE SPRINKLER ORDINANCE
DESIGN FREEDOMS (1982/85)
• Non-Rated Residential Structures Allowed
• Increased Fire Hydrant Spacing for Both Commercial
and Residential Development
• Reduced Water Main Sizes / Fire Flows
• Requirement for 360 Degree Access Removed to
Allow for Better Use of Available Property
• Reduced Street Widths
• Increased Cul-de-Sac Lengths
• Increased Development Density of 4%
– Note: Original Sprinkler Ordinance had to be economically
viable, or never would have be approved in Scottsdale.
Cost of Installing Residential Automatic
Sprinkler Protection in Scottsdale
• February 1986
Reese/Carr Report
2k+ sq ft SF Home $1.14 sq ft
• June 1989
Review of residential sprinkler costs
Production Home
$ . 79 sq ft
Custom Home
$ . 89 sq ft
• January 2001
Review of residential sprinkler costs
Production Home
$ . 59 sq ft
Custom Home
$ . 70 sq ft
• January 2014
Review of residential sprinkler costs
Semi-Custom+
$1.50 to $2.50 sq ft
Scottsdale Automatic Sprinkler Protection
June 30, 2015
Type
Single Family
Multi-family
Total Units
Non-Spr
36,702
14,588
51,290
Sprinklered
Total
49,934
86,636
30,474
45,062
80,408
131,698
% of Community Homes Protected
Single Family
Multi-family
City Total
58%
68%
61%
15 Year Overview of Scottsdale Fire Fatalities
• Date
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
2/87
6/87
5/88
7/88
12/88
6/89
10/91
10/95
3/97
7/99
12/00
Address
8550 Peppertree
5008 N. 85 St
5408 N. 82 Pl
8432 Lewis
6923 Palm Ln
4003 Kalarama
8337 Wilshire
525 N. Miller
8337 E. Turney
3500 N. Hayden
8700 E. Oak
#People / Age
2
2
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
(13)
2&3
23 & 53
19
46
71
71
67
32
21
25
9
Cause
Matches
Smoking
Cooking
Smoking
Candle
Smoking
Smoking
Smoking
Candles
Smoke/Candle
Space Heater
S/Type
SF/Res
SF/Res
SF/Res
SF/Res
SF/Res
SF/Dplx
SF/Res
SF/TR
SF/Res
MF/Res
SF/Res
* Red = Working Smoke Alarm (SA)
* Yellow = SA present unk working
* White = No SA present
15 Year Overview of Scottsdale
Automatic Fire Sprinkler Saves
Date
6/87
12/87
7/88
2/88
6/94
7/95
4/99
1/00
5/00
1/01
•
Address
#People / Age
11350 Saguaro
1312 Scottsdale
7500 Doubletree
11620 Saguaro
3339 N. Civic Ctr
13000 N 103 Pl
9455 E. Raintree
12950 N. 103 Pl
8956 E. Windrose
9494 E. Redfield
Cause
1
31
Cooking
1
41
Electrical
1
27
Explosion
2 25 & 27 LPG/Elec
2 65 & 98 Electrical
1
21
Arson
1
44
Smoking
2 40 & 11 Cooking
1
42
Smoking
1
39
Elec/Iron
(13)
S/Type
MF/Res
ASB
Resort
MF/Res
Inst
SF/Res
MF/Res
SF/Res
SF/Res
MF/Res
2014 SOC Fire Impact Updates
Fires Per 1,000 population
Fire Loss Per Capita
Evaluation of Automatic Sprinklers
January 1, 1986 through January 1, 2001
 Total Working Fires in Sprinkled Buildings
199
 Types of Activations
- Commercial
102
- Multi-Family
48
- Single Family
49
 Total Value of Complexes
$767,334,000
 Total Loss at 199 Fire Incidents
$703,300
 Total Lives Saved
13
 Average Loss per Incident
$3,534
 Avg Working Fire Loss Non-sprinkler Event $39,672
 Fires Controlled With 2 or Less Hds (183/16)
92%
25000 N. Horseshoe – February 5, 2011
Single-family Residential
Alarm Time: 2347
Total Loss $20,000 - Total Potential $419,300
Cause: Kitchen Fire
Total Sprinkler Heads Operated: One (1) Out on Arrival
Initial Response Info:
3 EC, 1 LC, 1 BC, 1 UT
Less than 15 min all but one EC & UT back in service
13000 N. 103rd Place - July 1995
Single Family Residence
Alarm Time: 1000
Total Loss $1,500 - Potential $138,000
Cause: Arson (flammable liquid)
Total Sprinkler Heads Activated: One (1)
One Life Saved
14000 N. 90th Place – October 2001
Single Family Residence (Tri-Level)
Alarm Time: 0002 hrs
Resident Home - Reported as Fire Alarm by neighbors
Cause: Accidental (smoking & oxygen fed)
Total Loss $50,000 - Potential $350,000
Fatality: One (64 yom)
Total Sprinkler Heads Activated: Six (6)
Safe Community Objectives
Community Risk Reduction Program (CRR).
Work to reduce the number of emergency incidents
in Scottsdale though the use of aggressive and
proactive safety measures.
Reduce the impact on our community and citizens
from the emergency incidents that do occur.
Can be accomplished through local safety code adoption, education
& outreach opportunities and effective response capabilities
(Education/Engineering/Enforcement - Response)
“Everyone has a plan,
till you get punched in the
mouth”
Questions
Scottsdale Fire & Life Safety Division
Contact Info
480-312-1855
37
Primary Factors That Contribute to
Organizational Success
• Courage to take risks as we have in the past
• Care enough to consider the impact of our
actions on future generations
• Commitment to maintain economic balance
as fundamental to sustained growth
• Effectively deal with Involved, Invested &
Informed Citizens
9400 E. Redfield - January 2001
Multi-family Residential Complex
Alarm Time: 0345
Total Loss $1,500 - Total Potential $950,000
Total Living Units: Building 16/Complex 304
Cause: Accidental / Electric Iron
Total Sprinkler Heads Operated: One (1)
Smoke Alarm Disabled / One Life Saved
9600 E. Happy Valley - May 1994
Single Family Residence
Alarm Time: 1411
Total Loss $1,300 - Total Potential $130,000
Cause: Arson (flammable liquid)
Total Sprinkler Heads Activated: Two (2)
House Under Construction
Thank you for Attending!!
“The Scottsdale Fire & Life Safety
Division is dedicated to maintaining our
community trust, while working towards
addressing the protection of life &
property for our citizens, visitors and
local business”
National Fire Protection Association
US National Fire Statistics – 2014
 Total Annual Structural Fire Loss
$9.8 Bill
(85% of all property damage - total fire loss $11.6 bill)
 Residential Structure Fire Loss
$6.8 Bill
( 69% of all structure loss occurred in residential)
 Residential Structure Fires
367,500
(this is approx 74% of all structure fires - total 494,000)
(a residential/home fire is reported every 86 seconds)
 Total Civilian Fatalities
 Fire Deaths in the Home
3,275
2,745
(this is approx. 84% of all civilian fire fatalities)
(a civilian fire fatality occurs every 181 minutes)
 Civilian Injuries in Structure Fires
15,775
(75% of injures occurred in residential structures)
(a civilian fire injury occurs every 33 min (44 for homes)
Why is this Still Happening?
And, how can we go about making
substantial changes to the status Quo?
51
REACTIVE FIRE PROTECTION
Traditional Fire Department Organization:
Where a problem has occurred before it is
addressed with passive building codes and the
hope that the Fire Department resources, that have
been amassed, will be able to beat the clock and
arrive soon enough to have a positive impact on
the emergency incident.
OLS - Operation Life Safety
IAFC - International Association of Fire Chiefs
PROACTIVE FIRE PROTECTION
This philosophy is accomplished by
embracing new (?) proven technology
and built-in protection, like automatic fire
sprinklers and early detection systems,
combined with aggressive code enforcement
and a strong public education program.
OLS - Operation Life Safety
IAFC - International Association of Fire Chiefs
Promoting Community Safety & Fire Prevention
Public Water Systems
Public Water Systems play an important part in both
Fire Department and private protection.
Automatic sprinklers actually conserve water
supplies, since they attack the fire in
its incipiency…………..
If public water and local officials were better informed
as to the function and operation of private fire
protection, they would do more to encourage public
water connections for fire service.
* Presidents Conference on Fire Prevention - 1947
Home Fire Victims
• Children under six and the elderly had highest
death rates
– People over 85 had the very highest
• Males had a death rate 43% higher than females
– Their injury rate was also higher.
• Young adults and people over 85 faced the highest
risk of fire injury
• One-third of home civilian fire injuries occurred
when the victim was trying to control the fire
Source: Patterns of Home Fire Casualties by Age and Sex,
by John R. Hall, Jr. - NFPA (National Fire Protection Association)
Interesting Comments
“It is a noteworthy fact that in all the fires in sprinklered
buildings, there has been practically no loss of life…….
This being the case, it is indeed strange
that the sprinkler has not been more frequently
installed as a life saver.”
Gorham Dana
Underwriters’ Bureau of New England – 1914
“Everything that gets wet
eventually dries out.
- Nothing un-burns.“
Evaluation of Automatic Sprinklers
January 1, 1986 through January 1, 2001
 Total Fires in Multi-family Sprinkled Buildings
48
Total Potential
$47,911,000
Total Loss
$321,990
Average Loss per Sprinkler Incident
$6,708
Special note: Joshua Tree Apartment Complex/Omega failure
Incident5/98 - 7 sprinkler heads - $250,000 loss
Adjusted Potential
$46,911,000
Adjusted Loss
$71,990
Adjusted Avg Loss per Sprinkler Incident $1,532
 Activation History
1 sprinkler head control
x 41
2 or less sprinkler head control
x 47
3 or more sprinkler head activations
x 1
 Fires controlled with two or fewer heads (47/1)
98%
Evaluation of Automatic Sprinklers
January 1, 1986 through January 1, 2001
 Total Fires in Commercial Sprinkled Buildings
102
Total Potential
$698,436,000
Total Loss
$275,200
Average Loss per Sprinkler Incident
$2,698
Avg. Loss per Non-Sprinkled Incident
$23,247
 Activation History
1 sprinkler head control
2 or less sprinkler head control
3 or more sprinkler head activations
 Fires controlled with two or fewer heads (93/9)
x 86
x 93
x 9
91%
Evaluation of Automatic Sprinklers
January 1, 1986 through January 1, 2001
 Total Fires in Single-family Sprinkled Buildings
49
Total Potential
$20,987,000
Total Loss
$106,110
Average Loss per Sprinkler Incident
$2,166
Avg. Loss for Non-spr Residential Fires
$45,019
 Activation History
1 sprinkler head control
2 or less sprinkler head control
3 or more sprinkler head activations
x 40
x 43
x 6
(2 arson, 2 appliance, 1 kitchen, 1garage)
 Fires controlled with two or fewer heads (43/6)
88%
Residential Fire Sprinklers vs Fire Lines
Original COS 10 year study
 Estimated Sprinkler Water per Residential Incident
 Estimated Suppression Water per Residential Incident
209 Gls
3,290 Gls
Typical Fire Scenario
Fire is accessed and water is
now being applied to the fire
911 notifies fire dept.
and fire dept. responds
Count heads, notify neighbor,
wake them, call fire dept.
Alert family of fire
Flashover Occurs
0
1
2
3
A fire starts in your home
and you are awakened by
the smoke detector.
4
5
TIME LINE (minutes)
10
15
20
Typical fire scenario with fire
sprinkler intervention
Ceiling temperature
165 degrees
0
1
2
3
4
5
10
TIME LINE (minutes)
A fire starts in your home
and you are awakened
by the smoke detector.
Fire Sprinkler Operates
15
20