Demonstration sends fiery message about effectiveness of home sprinklers

LAKEVILLE — Part of a house caught fire Saturday morning, May 18, just behind the Lakeville Fire Station.

But the fire was brought under control by the Lakeville Fire Department to demonstrate the effectiveness of a home sprinkler system.

The side-by-side demonstration showed in real time the difference that sprinklers can make in the event of a home fire.

For the demonstration, the department built two 8′ x 8′ foot living room models. One room had a fire extinguisher and the other did not.

The room not equipped with sprinklers reached a flash fire, when everything in an area ignites simultaneously, within just a few minutes. This destroyed the room and created conditions that would not support survival.

However, the sprinkler in the second room went off 34 seconds after the fire started. This completely extinguished the fire.

“The consequences are clear,” said Lakeville Fire Lt. Ryan Silvia. “One room was destroyed while the other just needs to be dried out.”

More importantly, these differences could save lives, Silvia said.

“The occupants of the house would have had ample time to escape with sprinkler protection and would not have suffered the deadly effects of the heat and toxic smoke,” he said.

Members of the Lakeville Fire Department have been strong advocates for the sprinkler installation.

The equipment is “economical and reliable and only adds on average about 1% to the cost of a new home,” Silvia said. “They can be used with any domestic water supply, even in homes with well water, and are virtually maintenance-free. »

The Lakeville Fire Department was designated a “Built for Life” fire department by the Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition because of its outreach efforts. The ministry received a grant of $750 to support this event.

The simulation brought together representatives from the National Fire Sprinkler Association and was the final chapter of a week-long public education campaign for Home Fire Sprinkler Week.

This project also had support from Mullein Hill Christian Academy’s eighth grade science class, who have been learning about fire science and fire safety from the department over the past few months.

School principal Barbara Priestly attended the event, which was livestreamed on the department’s Facebook page. The program was coordinated by Deputy Fire Chief Pam Garant and Silvia.

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