5. RESIDENTIal fIre SPRINKLERS
EXTINCTEURS AUTOMATIQUES RÉSIDENTIELS |
That Council approve:
1. That City staff be directed to prepare a full report including information
and an analysis of fire alarms, outlining the feasibility of a municipal
by-law to require residential fire sprinklers in all new residential
construction in the City of Ottawa,
2. That the report also
outline the efficacy of approaching the Ontario Government to change the
Ontario Building Code to make sprinkler systems mandatory in all new
residential construction across the province.
Que le Conseil d’approuver :
l. a demande faite au personnel de la
Ville de préparer un rapport complet, comprenant des renseignements et une
analyse sur les alarmes d’incendie, qui porte sur la faisabilité de
l’adoption d’un règlement municipal qui obligerait l’installation d’un système
de gicleurs automatiques dans toutes les nouvelles constructions résidentielles
à la ville d’Ottawa.
2. Que le rapport devra également indiquer
l’utilité d’intervenir auprès du gouvernement de l’Ontario afin qu’il modifie
le Code du bâtiment de l’Ontario de façon à rendre obligatoire l’installation
d’extincteurs automatiques dans les nouveaux immeubles résidentiels de la
province.
DOCUMENTATION
1.
Coordinator, Community and Protective
Services report dated 18 January 2008 (ACS2008-CCS-CPS-0003).
2. Extract of Draft Minute,
17 January 2008.
Report to / Rapport au:
Comité des services communautaires et de
protection
18 January 2008 / le 18 janvier 2008
Coordonnatrice de comité
|
City-wide/ à l'échelle de la Ville |
Ref N°: ACS2008-CCS-CPS-0003 |
SUBJECT: RESIDENTIal
fIre SPRINKLERS
OBJET: EXTINCTEURS AUTOMATIQUES
RÉSIDENTIELS
That
Council approve:
1.
That City Staff be directed to
prepare a full report outlining the feasibility of a municipal by-law to
require residential fire sprinklers in all new residential construction in the
City of Ottawa,
2. That the report also
outline the efficacy of approaching the Ontario Government to change the
Ontario Building Code to make sprinkler systems mandatory in all new
residential construction across the province.
Que le Conseil d’approuver :
1. Que le personnel de la Ville devra
produire un rapport complet sur la faisabilité d’un règlement municipal visant
à rendre obligatoire l’installation d’extincteurs automatiques dans les
nouveaux immeubles résidentiels à Ottawa;
2. Que
le rapport devra également indiquer l’utilité d’intervenir auprès du
gouvernement de l’Ontario afin qu’il modifie le Code du bâtiment de l’Ontario
de façon à rendre obligatoire l’installation d’extincteurs automatiques dans
les nouveaux immeubles résidentiels de la province.
WHEREAS residential fire continues to present a serious risk for
personal injury, death and property damage,
AND WHEREAS 31 lives have been lost in residential fires in the City
of Ottawa since amalgamation,
AND WHEREAS the shift to modern, lightweight construction methods
have greatly reduced the period of time between the start of a free-burning
fire and flashover,
AND WHEREAS a combination of fire sprinklers and smoke alarms can
cut the risk of dying in a home fire by about 80 percent and reduces the risk
to firefighters when fighting fires in buildings constructed from lightweight
engineered wood framing systems,
AND WHEREAS the Ottawa Fire Service and the Ontario Association of
Fire Chiefs supports changes to the Ontario Building Code to require that all
new residential dwellings require the installation of residential fire
sprinklers to save lives, reduce serious injuries and reduce property damage,
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT City Staff be directed to prepare a
full report outlining the feasibility of a municipal by-law to require
residential fire sprinklers in all new residential construction in the City of
Ottawa,
AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the report also outline the efficacy
of approaching the Ontario Government to change the Ontario Building Code to
make sprinkler systems mandatory in all new residential construction across the
province.
CONSULTATION
N/A
FINANCIAL
IMPLICATIONS
N/A
Staff in Community and Protective Services to take appropriate action as directed by Committee and/or Council.
RESIDENTIal fIre SPRINKLERS
EXTINCTEURS
AUTOMATIQUES
RÉSIDENTIELS CITY WIDE / À L'ÉCHELLE DE LA VILLE
Councillor Deans left the Chair in order to bring this item forward. Councillor Qadri acted as Chair for consideration of the matter.
Moved by A. Cullen
That
pursuant to Section 77(12) of the Procedure By-law, the Community and
Protective Services Committee waive the procedures to consider this item.
CARRIED
Sean Tracey, Canadian Regional Manager, National Fire Protection Association spoke in favour of Councillor Deans’ Motion. By way of background, he indicated that the primary mission of the Association is the reduction of the impact of fire and other hazards on life. Every year in Canada, 275 lives are lost in fire and 82% of those occur in the home. He made note of the fact that people are protected by sprinklers at work, but not where they live and so, where people should be feeling most secure is where they are at greatest risk from fire. He believed the City has the opportunity to take the lead on an issue in Ontario, noting that over 400 communities in North America have municipal by-laws supporting mandatory residential sprinklers in homes. He provided the following additional comments:
· in the past decade, on a per fire basis, fatality rates and property damage in homes are increasing
· many of the construction materials that are brought into homes and the contents are not required to have any fire performance ratings
· the contents people have placed in their homes have significantly changed from when building code standards were first introduced in North America and as a result, there is a higher proponent of chemical and petroleum-based products, that, when burned, create toxic vapours and increase the intensity of the fire
· protecting first responders is also of concern because at the very time firefighters are anticipated to perform interior attacks, these homes will fail without notice
· there has never been a life lost in a residential fire where the home is protected by a sprinkler system; in fact, some communities, i.e., Scottsdale, Arizona and Vancouver, have seen a 50% reduction in fire fatality rates because they implemented residential sprinkler systems nearly 20 years ago; there is also a significant reduction in property damage
While homebuilders have raised concerns about the potential added costs these sprinklers will have and the potential burden on homeowners, Mr. Tracey emphasized that this could be potentially be a false argument because, from experiences in Vancouver and the lower mainland, there has been no impact with the regards to the desirability of these homes. Cost-benefit analysis studies conducted by the National Institute of Science and Technology in the United States, illustrate residential fire sprinklers are beneficial to society. To help to offset costs, Council could increase the separation distance between fire hydrants, have longer lot lines and the ability for infill construction without having increased water supplies. These represent potential benefits to all members of society. Mr. Tracey believed the Motion represents a win-win proposition for homeowners, builders, and fire services and he encouraged the Committee to support it.
Councillor Feltmate asked whether the report being requested in the Motion would include an analysis of fires that have resulted in loss of life and whether there were working fire alarms. She also wanted to know whether there is new legislation that requires hot-wired fire alarms rather than battery operated fire alarms in new home construction. She believed the report should reflect the entire breadth of the issue in terms of what occurs now and what the potential of avoidance and protection mechanisms there might be. In response, Bruce Montone, Deputy Chief, Education and Prevention Service indicated that the report would provide both an analysis of the current state within the City, and a reflection on the past fatalities relative to whether or not working smoke alarms were in place. The report will also demonstrate the combined effect of working smoke alarms and sprinkler systems in residential occupancies. Staff hope to bring forward the report within a couple of months.
Councillor Deans wondered whether the Association had any information on reductions on insurance premiums for units that have residential sprinkler systems. Mr. Tracey advised that it has been difficult to obtain national or North American-wide information on this, but what they have seen is a recommendation for a 10% reduction on the fire portion of an insurance premium when the systems are being monitored. If Council were to introduce a municipal by-law, the councillor hoped he would work with staff when looking at the cost-benefit analysis of this and she encouraged the Association to work with the insurance companies to ensure that residents who have sprinkler systems qualify for the insurance premium reduction.
Deputy Chief Montone informed the Committee that the Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs and the Canadian Association of Fire Commissioners are putting on a media event at the Toronto Fire Services Fire Academy today, demonstrating two residential fires: one protected by residential sprinklers, the other not protected, the purpose of which is to demonstrate the significant impact this kind of initiative can have in terms of public safety and property preservation. He indicated that the Premier has expressed interest in this initiative and has directed Minister Watson to take a serious look at this issue and move forward in terms of multi-unit high-rise residential occupancies. He saw this as a positive opportunity for Ottawa to have significant impact on that review.
John Sobey, Ottawa Professional Firefighters Association stated that the Association takes a valid interest in any initiative brought forward by the Committee or Council that is in the direction of public safety. He recalled that this past summer, a resolution was brought forward by the OPFA to the Ontario Professional Firefighters Association, seeking building code changes; while this does not deal with the residential sprinkler system, it does speak to fire resistant materials being further added in lightweight construction. He remarked that front-line suppression firefighters see the occurring damages and loss of life that can occur exponentially and rapidly, stating that it would appear to be the fuel load that adds to the diminishing quality of the structure. Also, front-line firefighters have noticed a change over the years from the old homes and construction, and the ability to fight the fire from within. What they see now, due to rapid-fire growth, is increased toxicity of carcinogens, et cetera and this is having an impact on those inside the structure, as well as the potential danger to the front line firefighters.
Moved by P. Feltmate
That the Motion
be amended to add “including information and an analysis of fire alarms”.
CARRIED
Moved by D. Deans
WHEREAS
residential fire continues to present a serious risk for personal injury, death
and property damage,
AND
WHEREAS 31 lives have been lost in residential fires in the City of Ottawa
since amalgamation,
AND
WHEREAS the shift to modern, lightweight construction methods have greatly
reduced the period of time between the start of a free-burning fire and
flashover,
AND
WHEREAS a combination of fire sprinklers and smoke alarms can cut the risk of
dying in a home fire by about 80 percent and reduces the risk to firefighters
when fighting fires in buildings constructed from lightweight engineered wood
framing systems,
AND
WHEREAS the Ottawa Fire Service and the Ontario Association of Fire Chiefs
supports changes to the Ontario Building Code to require that all new
residential dwellings require the installation of residential fire sprinklers
to save lives, reduce serious injuries and reduce property damage,
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT City staff be directed to prepare a
full report including
information and an analysis of fire alarms, outlining the feasibility of a
municipal by-law to require residential fire sprinklers in all new residential
construction in the City of Ottawa,
AND
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the report also outline the efficacy of approaching
the Ontario Government to change the Ontario Building Code to make sprinkler
systems mandatory in all new residential construction across the province.
CARRIED, as amended