One of the biggest causes of fires is older, rent-controlled buildings. No better do we see than in the San Francisco Bay area where fires are an all too common occurrence. This has led to concerted efforts on the part of officials to change this awful trajectory and according to this Sfweekly.com article, these officials are hard at work and, in particular, Supervisors Jane Kim and David Campos.
Noah Arroyo writes, “These supervisors represent much of the territory where the fires occurred and are trying to set up a Fire Safety Task Force. Possible solutions to the rash of fires include compelling building owners to install sprinkler systems, an idea Kim broached at an April meeting of the Land Use and Transportation Committee. There, the city’s chief housing inspector guessed that about 5,000 buildings lack the kinds of sprinklers that would save lives and property.”
SPRINKLER SYSTEMS SAVE LIVES
It seems that the supervisors simply want to save lives. There is clearly a problem in the Bay area that isn’t being addressed, causing great damage to lives and the local economy. If the installation of fire sprinklers would solve this dilemma, why is it taking so long. Well, building owners are saying no. They believe that installing sprinklers in older buildings will force many tenants to move on.
That seems like a foolish reason to not install fire sprinklers, but what do you think? Is it the responsibility of the building owners to install fire sprinklers in every apartment in their buildings? Or is it the responsibility of the actual tenants? Let us know in the comments below.
Davis-Ulmer Sprinkler Company is a fire protection specialist serving New York and surrounding states. We have designed, installed, and serviced fire protection equipment since 1946. From fire sprinkler systems to fire detection equipment, we have what you need for your fire protection. Contact us today for more information.
