GIANT EDMONTON BLAZE UNDERLINES NEED FOR RESIDENTIAL AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER SYSTEMS: CANADIAN ASSOCIATION OF FIRE CHIEFS

OTTAWA, July 24, 2007 –The huge Edmonton  fire that destroyed a large condominium and nine other homes underlines again the need for national action to modernize building codes, including equipping low-rise residential structures with automated sprinkler systems, says the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs (CAFC).

“Our Association has been urging the government for several years to put in place building standards that take account of rapidly evolving modern building practices to ensure they do not endanger the lives and property of Canadians, or the safety of firefighters,” said CAFC President Patrick Burke, who is the Fire Marshal of Ontario. “While new building technology may save construction costs at the front end, the risk to property and lives once these structures are erected is incalculable. Fortunately no one was injured in Edmonton, partly due to the quick, professional response of the Edmonton Fire Department, but the story could have had a much grimmer outcome. As it is, 18 families were left homeless.” Fire Marshal Burke added.

Among other things, CAFC has been asking the National Research Council to amend the National Building Code to require that all new and existing low-rise residential structures be equipped with automatic sprinkler systems. Automatic sprinkler systems are the most effective way to control fires until the Fire Department arrives, especially given that the size of a fire doubles every minute that it goes unchecked.

The Association has also urged Finance Canada to amend the Income Tax Act to allow owners of existing low-rise residential structures to deduct a portion of the costs of equipping their residences with such systems from their federal income tax.

“The building boom in all parts of Canada, especially the West, means that action to adjust the National Building Code to reflect modern realities is becoming ever more urgent,”says Fire Marshal Burke. “The Edmonton disaster is another example of the danger of delay.”

CAFC has also been advocating the appointment of a National Fire Advisor to provide national oversight on fire prevention, including the standardization of approaches to training and equipment for firefighters, coordination of national emergency response involving fire services across Canada, developing national fire prevention strategies and representing the interests of the Canadian Fire Service with respect to the National Building Code and the National Fire Code.

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Information:

Fire Marshal Patrick Burke
Tel:  416-435-6134

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