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ATTY/ORD.410/FIRE SPRINKLER <br />REV: 06-02-15 PT <br />Page 5 of 9 <br />benefits – they reduce fire damage by up to 97%; reduce water usage to fight <br />a home fire by upwards of 90%; and reduce the amount of water pollution <br />released into the environment. The study also showed that the building with the <br />Automatic Sprinkler System provided more time for people to react to a fire and <br />the property was far less damaged. <br />(www.firesprinklerinitiative.org/research/environmental-impact-of-fire- <br />sprinklers.aspx#sthash.tJGDRPiV.dpuf) <br /> <br />c. In the event of a fire, typically only the sprinkler closest to the fire will activate <br />spraying water directly on the fire and leaving the rest of the building dry and <br />secure. When firefighters have to spray a building with water hoses, there is a <br />much greater likelihood of water damage to the building and interior household <br />items and furnishings. <br /> <br />d. Installing Automatic Sprinkler Systems may result in insurance savings. The <br />national average for installing automatic fire sprinkler systems in new homes is <br />$1.35 per sprinklered square foot. (www.firesprinklerinitiative.org/advocacy- <br />tools/fact-sheets/insurance-discounts-for-home-sprinklers.aspx) In 2007, the <br />federal government reported its findings after conducting a cost-benefit <br />analysis regarding installing residential fire sprinkler systems and found <br />reductions in the risk of fatalities and injuries, insurance premiums, uninsured <br />property loss, and that the sprinkler systems are generally economical. <br />(www.fire.nist.gov/bfrlpubs/build07/PDF/b07025.pdf) It is estimated that the <br />cost for retrofitting older apartment buildings with more than four units in the <br />Bay Area is between $2.25 to $5.00 per square foot, depending on the <br />configuration of the existing apartment building. <br /> <br />6. The Caltrain corridor parallels El Camino Real in Redwood City, creating a <br />transportation barrier between Fire Stations and many multi-family buildings located <br />on the opposite side of the corridor. It is not uncommon for fire emergency responders <br />to be delayed because of trains travelling the railway corridor. While several train <br />“grade separations” (train overpass separated from vehicular traffic) have helped <br />relieve delays to some extent, there are several intersections where grade separations <br />will not be constructed due to the existing right-of-way limitations. An Automatic <br />Sprinkler System can help suppress a fire thus providing valuable time for people to <br />escape and for emergency responders to reach the fire. <br /> <br />7. This ordinance requiring Automatic Sprinkler Systems for multi-unit residential <br />buildings that do not already have them is reasonably necessary and serves the best <br />interest of the community. <br /> <br />a. This ordinance requires mandatory retrofitting of all residential buildings with <br />four or more units lacking an approved Automatic Sprinkler System. The City <br />Council finds that this requirement is reasonable and necessary in light of the <br />City’s particular climatic, geological, and topographical conditions; that it is <br />reasonable and necessary in order to protect and maintain the life, health, and <br />7.4.A. - Page 7