Team Effort Brings Fire Sprinklers

With plans to build five Habitat homes on a cul-de-sac, Alves heard about the HFSC as a resource to help install residential fire sprinkler systems. "Three of the homes were being built for families that had members with disabilities," Alves said. "I thought it would be especially beneficial for those families to have fire sprinklers in their homes," he said.

The HFSC had commitments from Viking Corp. and BlazeMaster (Noveon) to donate the material, but informed Alves they needed time to identify a local sprinkler contractor to donate the system design and labor.

So Alves asked Lyn Cox, one of the homeowners, to volunteer her time to help find a contractor. Cox didn’t hesitate. Three months earlier, one of her family members lost everything in a fire.

"My sister-in-law lost everything. You don’t realize how devastating fire can be until it hits close to home," Cox said. "When I found out my new house could have fire sprinklers, I thought the idea was fantastic," she said. "I started calling local sprinkler contractors. My second call was to Omlid & Swinney Fire Sprinklers and they agreed. So far I’ve had very good luck getting people to help," she added.

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