Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock (
) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.
Sprinklers in Structure Fires
Residential fire sprinklers are a critical component of modern fire safety, as research confirms their exceptional efficacy in protecting life and property compared to other life safety technologies. Studies, including a comprehensive benefit-cost analysis, demonstrate that sprinkler systems can drastically limit fire growth and spread, often extinguishing a fire or holding it in check before the fire department arrives. This rapid intervention not only significantly reduces civilian and firefighter fatalities and injuries, but also reduces property damage and the associated long-term economic losses, making sprinklers a fiscally sound investment with long-term benefits that outweigh the initial installation costs.
- Benefit-Cost Analysis of Residential Fire Sprinkler Systems
- Butry, David T., Brown, M. Hayden, Fuller, Sieglinde K. (2007). Benefit-Cost Analysis of Residential Fire Sprinkler Systems https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=860105
- Economic Performance of Residential Fire Sprinkler Systems
- Butry, D.T. Economic Performance of Residential Fire Sprinkler Systems. Fire Technol 45, 117–143 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10694-008-0054-8
- Comparing the Performance of Residential Fire Sprinklers with Other Life Safety Technologies
- Butry, David T. (2012). "Comparing the performance of residential fire sprinklers with other life-safety technologies." Accident Analysis & Prevention, Volume 48, 2012, Pages 480-494. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aap.2012.03.006
- Sprinkler Use Decisioning / Benefit-cost analysis of residential fire sprinkler systems
- Butry, David T., Lavappa, Priya.Sprinkler Use Decisioning. https://www.nist.gov/services-resources/software/sprinkler-use-decisioning