Keep Your Eyes on the Goal: Preventing home fire
injuries and loss of life

By H. Asa Tuten, Jr.

In most large cities, not a week goes by that TV news reports a fire loss to apartments or single-family homes. The usual attitude is that “accidents happen,” and we run the risk of becoming immune to this constant barrage of fire loss news. Rather than the usual attitude, let’s adopt an aggressively positive attitude, recognizing that these fire injuries and fatalities can be prevented, and we can take action with others to accomplish the goal of preventing home fire injuries and loss of life.

Hal R. Sanders, P.E., President of HRS Systems, Inc, established HASS® for Hydraulic Analysis of Sprinkler Systems in 1975. Hal was part of a 1979 team with a goal of testing sprinkler performance in a residential fire setting. These tests led to other actions to include today’s wide use of burn trailers to show the value of sprinklers in the home environment.

To reach any goal requires having the right tools. HRS Systems, Inc. introduced another tool to use in the effort to reduce residential fire losses. HASS HOUSE® is a fire protection software program for hydraulic analysis, design and review of residential sprinkler systems in accordance with NFPA 13, 13D, and 13R. Featured in a 1987 by Operation Life Safety at the International Association of Fire Chiefs convention in St Louis, HASS HOUSE was highlighted as a specialized tool to reduce the volume of paperwork and speed up the design and review process with its quick and accurate analysis procedures. As the residential sprinkler market grows, HASS HOUSE can be used for every residential sprinkler design or review situation.

Data entry is quick and tailored to the residential sprinkler market. Data can be entered and revised without delay. The system layout is described by nodes (K-factors and elevations) and by pipes (lengths, diameters, and fittings). Special tables allow for quick selection of piping (Pipe Tables) and types of residential sprinklers (Sprinkler Lists). Pipe tables and sprinkler lists can be edited as needed. Pumps, meters, and backflow preventers are entered by changes in pressure.

HASS HOUSE calculation processes use the same engine as HASS, giving results for the available and required flows in the design area with the hydraulically most remote single operating sprinkler, as well as two-to-four sprinklers operating. HASS HOUSE automatically provides these two required sets of calculations.

Results appear in a clear and concise report format with a water supply graph and a cover sheet, ready for your review on the screen before printing. The two sets of calculations are shown side by side on the same sheet of paper. Both the cover sheet and the water supply graph display the available and required flows and pressures for both sets of calculations. A second format displays a longer report that includes more information as outlined in NFPA 13 (2007 Edition).

Some things bear repeating, so “Keep your eyes on the goal — preventing home fire injuries and loss of life.” It’s time to be aggressively positive about residential sprinklers. It’s one thing to say that residential sprinklers are a good idea, and quite another to be an advocate, a leader, a spokesman. It’s quite likely that you already know more about fire sprinklers than those in local and legislative bodies who are making decisions about residential sprinklers. Be ready to testify, ready to educate, and ready to defend the residential fire sprinkler concept. Need resources? Just go to your Internet search engine and type in residential fire sprinklers to find more than a million entries in less than a second. Other good sources to search are Home Fire Coalition, NFPA, National Fire Sprinkler Association (NFSA) and American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA).

The Georgia Fire Sprinkler Association established a fire sprinkler essay contest in 1988 with hundreds of students participating and those submitting each year’s best three essays have received scholarships totaling more than $56,000. Similar essay programs have been established by both state and national associations as well as trade journals. Why? To educate the public as to the value of sprinklers and why they should be installed. Thousands are exposed to the fire sprinkler concept thorough these essays; the essay writers, their parents who proof them, and the teachers who review them, each one a potential advocate for residential fire sprinklers. Golf tournaments throughout the country finance some of these scholarship programs as well as donations to burn units at major hospitals. These are just a few ways to introduce others to the residential fire sprinkler concept.

Fire marshals have established criteria to assure necessary training for those who plan to install residential fire sprinklers, and fire protection suppliers are available to answer questions related to their products.

Now, What is the goal? Right! “Keep your eyes on the goal — preventing home fire injuries and loss of life.” Your sprinkler advocacy is appreciated, Your leadership is appreciated. Your aggressively positive attitude is appreciated. You can be a part of saving a life, or preventing fire injury — never knowing whose life was saved or when, as your professional efforts can be critical to accomplishing the goal - preventing home fire injuries and loss of life. Keep your eyes on the goal!

H. Asa Tuten, Jr. is Vice President and General Manager of HRS Systems, Inc., Tucker, Georgia, holds a bachelors degree from Mercer University and an MBA for Georgia State University. As an U.S. Air Force Captain, he held missile, range, and nuclear safety assignments, followed by missile safety for North American Rockwell during final assembly and preparation for launch of Apollo Missions 9, 10, 11, and 12. After fifteen years with Factory Mutual Engineering in Atlanta, he joined HRS Systems, Inc. with major responsibilities in marketing, sales, and technical support. He is Past President and Scholarship Chairman of the Georgia Fire Sprinkler Association and a member of SFPE. E-mail: hass@hrssystems.com. Web: www.hrssystems.com.