The cost of installing a sprinkler system is less than two per cent of the total building cost and even this can be recouped by reduced insurance premiums.
Sprinklers are reliable, are virtually maintenance free and minimise environmental impact. It makes both financial and common sense to fit them in school buildings.
London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority |
Wise up to Fire is all about getting YOU involved to put pressure on the authorities to take action to protect our schools from fire.
School fire statistics
- There are around 30 school fires each week.
- There are up to 20 incidents of arson in schools each week.
- Physical damage to schools cost in excess of £74 million in 2006.
- Non-financial impact of fire in schools is up to 50% of the physical cost: this arises from disruption to education and extra-curricular activities, extra work to teachers, relocation of facilities, and so on.
- In the past, school fires have accounted for 25% of all building fires.
- Up to 75% of all school fires are as a result of malicious arson attacks.
- Only around 300 schools out of 28,000 have fire sprinkler systems installed.
About sprinklers
- Losses from fires in buildings fitted with sprinklers are one-tenth of those in unprotected buildings.
- Insurers such as Zurich Municipal will reduce the fire rate on ‘sprinklered’ schools by up to 65% and reduce the excess applicable, typically £100K to nil
- In buildings protected by sprinklers 99% of fires are controlled by sprinklers alone; 66% of fires are controlled by using no more than five sprinkler heads.
- The chance of a sprinkler going off accidentally is 1 in 10 million.
- The average maintenance cost for a school sprinkler system is £500.
- Sprinkler systems have a very long service life – up to 50 years.
- Sprinklers only discharge 10% of the water used by the fire services, so considerably reducing the risk of water damage.
Resources With acknowledgements to the following publications:
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