Sprinklers

If you want to reduce the risk of death in a fire as much as possible, you could consider fitting sprinklers in your home. They provide a high level of protection from the risk of dying in a fire. They are particularly suitable for older people and for those who have difficulty moving around or have some other disability. In parts of the USA where sprinklers have become compulsory, almost no one dies from fire at home.

If you’re considering getting a sprinkler system fitted, here are some further points to bear in mind:

• sprinklers are fitted in as many rooms as you want them to be - their pipes are small and run off mains water
• they are individually heat-activated, so the whole system doesn't go off at once
• they rarely get set off accidentally as they need high temperatures to trigger them
• they operate automatically, whether you're at home or not
• if you have a sprinkler system, you should also have a smoke alarm, as this will alert you to slow-burning, smoke-generating fires which may not generate enough heat to trigger the sprinkler
• sprinklers also sound an alarm when they go off, so they alert you as well as tackling the fire