In communities across North Carolina, Habitat for Humanity houses are providing more than just secure shelter to their new homeowners. Thanks to an ambitious, volunteer-driven project first begun in the state in 1996, some 250 Habitat homes have been built with an automatic fire sprinkler system installed – the ultimate in residential fire protection technology.

The Pinehurst Fire Department, which spearheaded the State’s program and has helped spread it to other areas, has installed 110 Habitat systems in Moore County. “Since 1996, no Habitat home in the County has been built without a fire sprinkler system installed,” says Pinehurst Deputy Chief Floyd Fritz, the department’s Habitat point person.

The Pinehurst Village Council adopted the program, and is supportive of its expansion beyond Pinehurst. “They want us to be a world class department and they consider this project to be an extension of that commitment,” Chief Fritz says of the Council. Habitat for Humanity has recognized the Pinehurst program nationwide and encourages other chapters to adopt it.

The life-saving program was recognized in 2004 by the International Association of Fire Chiefs, which presented the Pinehurst Fire Department with its Fire Service Award for Excellence. The award “recognizes innovations and achievements in managing resources to reduce the loss of life and property from fire and other emergencies.”

Sprinkler manufacturers Reliable, Tyco Fire Protection, Viking, and Victaulic provide the materials at no cost for Pinehurst Habitat projects. Firefighters donate the labor to install the systems. “It’s the FD giving back to the community,” Fritz says, adding that they are continually looking for new Habitat chapters to help. “We are getting ready to start up in three other counties,” he says. “I usually go help out in the first three or four houses. When they’re comfortable, they take it and run with it.”

Orange County, NC
Habitat Projects
Thanks to willing firefighters and donated materials, the idea of sprinklering Habitat homes catches on quickly. Since 2002, all of the Orange County, NC Habitat for Humanity homes have been sprinklered.

In February, the group celebrated completion of its 50th sprinklered Habitat house. The Chapel Hill Firefighters Association has helped install fire sprinklers in the majority of the homes.

“When I first started, I was very impressed to find out we put sprinkler systems into all of our homes,” says Orange County Habit Construction Coordinator Tom Finn. “It’s great for our homeowners. We’re here to improve the living environments of our homeowners. We want to make them safe, decent and affordable and the sprinklers definitely make them safer.”

Life-saving Technology
“We absolutely believe in home fire sprinkler systems for life safety,” says Assistant Fire Marshal Doug Kelly with the Chapel Hill Fire Marshal’s Office. “It’s a proven fact that they save lives. Sprinklers allow occupants the time to get safely out, before smoke and fire conditions become bad enough to prevent escape.”

To date, three “fire saves” are officially credited to the Habitat fire sprinkler systems, which according to Fritz have saved 16 lives. The most recent fire occurred in December, when an early-morning, unattended cooking fire threatened a sleeping family in a Chapel Hill Habitat home. According to the Chapel Hill Fire Department, fire personnel responded to the home, owned by Aaron and Trina Shah, within two minutes. The sprinkler system had already activated and nearly extinguished the fire before firefighters arrived. The residents suffered no fire injuries and the damage was estimated at $3,000 for the structure and contents.

?Fritz says the concept is moving beyond the Habitat project. The Pinehurst Fire Department is now reaching out to high school vocational departments. “They build homes every year and we’ve gone to the high schools and educated about sprinklers,” Fritz says. “We’ve installed sprinklers in four of those.”

In 1996, Fritz retrofit his own home with fire sprinklers. “It’s a benefit from day one,” he says of the technology. “It’s the only thing in a 30-year mortgage that will pay for itself. Over 30 years you’re going to replace all the other things, such as the water heater, carpet, etc.”