This year, the Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition (HFSC) awarded 100 U.S. Built for Life Fire Departments with a $1000 cash stipend to help them increase home fire sprinkler education in their jurisdiction.

Each department is using the stipend to fund the construction and presentation of at least one live flashover and sprinkler burn demonstration for the public during 2010. HFSC’s free Burn Demonstration Kit has helped them build, present and evaluate their demonstrations. Many of the departments have stated their intention to share their side-by-side materials with nearby departments so they can host demonstrations as well.

HFSC was able to present these stipends as a result of a successful Fire Prevention & Safety grant proposal in 2009. “We are so grateful to have earned this generous grant ,” says HFSC Communications Manager Peg Paul. “It is allowing HFSC to help local fire departments that want to do more to raise awareness of the life-saving value of home fire sprinkler systems, but didn’t have the budgets to do it on their own.”

In addition to the stipend, HFSC gave each department a digital video camera so they can extend the reach of their public educational demonstrations through the Internet, such as via YouTube, Facebook and department websites.