Council Addresses Fire Sprinkler Retrofit Requirements
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Naples City Council Urged by CALL to Adopt Resolution in Support of HB 561 and SB 1222 to Extend Deadline for Compliance with Costly Fire Sprinkler Retrofit Requirements. Collier County Commissioners Expected to Consider Resolution at Upcoming Meeting.
Representatives from the State Fire Marshal's Office presented information to City Council members and interested citizens regarding the improvements required for high-rise buildings (including condominiums and cooperatives) to comply with the Florida Fire Prevention Code. A recent report of the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation pegged estimated compliance costs at up to $8,600 per unit. This, at a the time of an historic decline in property values and unprecedented association assessment delinquencies, all while the efficacy of the requirement has yet to be shown.
While Florida Statutes, Section 718.112(2)(l) provides that an Association may vote to opt out of the requirements to retrofit the units of a high-rise residential condominium, currently there is no way to avoid a partial retrofit of interior common areas in a high rise building (a building greater than 75 feet in height). WZVN (Channel 7) reported about the "angry condo association presidents" and county leaders that hoped to extend the deadline or even change the law completely.
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The expenditure of retro-fitting a fire sprinkler system is minimal when you compare it against the huge cost to the tax payer when one of these high-rise buildings burn down. That is without considering the potential loss of life to the residents and fire fighters.
The retro-fitting of these sprinklers may cost a few thousand Dollars in the short-term but the potential amount that they could save in preventing a fire in such a large building hugely outweighs the cost. That is without considering the potential of saving many lives by adequately containing the fire. I know the US is looking for ways to cut spending but I don't think that lives should be put at risk.
Retro-fitting a fire sprinkler system to a large building is always going to be more costly than installing into a new build project but in the event of a fire, the reduced damage, disruption and life safety far outweigh these extra costs. An alternative to a traditional fire sprinkler system is a low pressure water mist system, this has the benefit of using up to 80% less water than a traditional sprinkler system. When considering water mist you must make sure that it has been tested and approved for land based applications, one such solution is EconAqua which is tested and certified by VDS in Germany.
New styles and new design of retro fit fire sprinkler systems are an ongoing development, the cost is coming down all the time. With compulsory implementation of these systems in new build property both in the USA and the UK slowly coming to fruition, in time retro fit will not be needed. Bite the bullet now, a few years of retro fit followed by compulsory fire sprinklers and many many lives will be saved.
Yet another great article! Definitely looking forward to more!