Question 44
Does this reduce what firefighters are exposed to?
A controlled fire produces less smoke and fewer combustion products than one that has spread through a structure, and crews arriving at a contained incident spend less time in the environment that produces exposure. Operations are shorter, with less overhaul and fewer personnel committed. NFPA data puts the firefighter injury rate 48% lower in home fires where sprinklers were present.
Sources
- U.S. Experience with Sprinklers, 2017–2021 data. Death, injury, property loss and containment rates., National Fire Protection Association