NFSA Archives - Northern Illinois Fire Sprinkler Advisory Board

HFSC Increases Stipend Offer. Now 60 U.S. Fire Departments Will Receive $500 For Local Home Fire Sprinkler Education

Stipends can be used to build or refurbish a side-by-side burn demonstration.

Sign up Today!

The deadline to apply is March 6, 2020.

February 17, 2020, Frankfort, IL – The Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition (HFSC) has increased the number of $500 stipends offered to U.S. fire departments thanks to additional donations from HFSC founding members American Fire Sprinkler Association (AFSA), National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and National Fire Sprinkler Association (NFSA). The original program offered 20 stipends through grant funding from State Farm. HFSC’s founding members stepped up their contributions to further support the fire service. The stipends will be awarded to qualifying fire departments to support local community outreach.

The stipends are being rolled out ahead of Home Fire Sprinkler Week, which will take place across North America May 17-23, 2020. Co-Sponsored by HFSC and the NFPA Fire Sprinkler Initiative, the week emphasizes the dangers of home fires to residents and firefighters and promotes the importance of building new homes with automatic fire sprinklers.

The stipends will help fire departments of any size or type conduct educational demonstrations. The funds can be used to build a portable, full-scale home fire sprinkler riser display, build or refurbish a side-by-side home fire sprinkler and flashover unit or produce an educational banner. HFSC has comprehensive online guidelines that describe materials, construction and outreach strategies to create these powerful and reusable teaching resources.

“With fire service activities concentrated on these important points during a single week each year, we are able to significantly boost interest and awareness among the public, the media and local officials,” says HFSC President Lorraine Carli, vice president of Outreach and Advocacy for NFPA. “This is essential because eight of 10 fire deaths in the U.S. occur in home fires.”

Although the number of reported fires has decreased over the past 40 years, you are more likely to die in a fire today than you were in 1980. “Today’s home fires burn hotter and faster yet loss can be significantly reduced with sprinklers,” Carli adds. “We could practically eliminate fire deaths in future years if every home had sprinklers.”

To qualify, applicants must be current members of the free Built for Life Fire Department Program (BFLFD), developed by HFSC in the 1990s to help the fire service improve local home fire sprinkler education. They will also be required to describe their plan to use and evaluate their awards. Join the BFLFD Program and apply for a stipend. The deadline to apply is March 6, 2020.

A similar stipend program is under way in Canada, with underwriting from HFSC’s Canadian partner The Co-Operators.

Now in its third year, Home Fire Sprinkler Week has become popular with fire departments in the US and Canada and HFSC anticipates widespread participation again in 2020. “The public education work the fire departments will do with these valuable stipends is essential and it will help make Home Fire Sprinkler Week 2020 an educational and motivational success,” Carli says. “We are appreciative of the strong support of the fire service, the HFSC Board of Directors, and our partners State Farm and The Co-Operators.”

Learn more about Home Fire Sprinkler Week and follow HFSC activities on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/HFSCorg

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/homefiresprinklercoalition/

On Twitter: https://twitter.com/HFSCorg and in Canada https://twitter.com/HFSCinCanada

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Lisa2023-06-22T14:41:59-05:00February 17th, 2020|Comments Off

LIVE Fire Sprinkler Demo/Christmas Tree Safety Story

Saturday, Nov. 23, 8:50 a.m. (ET)
FOX & FRIENDS, FOX News Cable Channel

NFSA President Shane Ray will be joined by Common Voices advocate Sher Grogg in a live segment that will highlight the importance of fire sprinklers and holiday fire safety. Sher lost six members of her family in a fire in 2015 that started with the Christmas tree.

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Lisa2019-11-22T12:52:38-06:00November 22nd, 2019|Comments Off

Northern Illinois Fire Sprinkler Advisory Board Promotes Erik Hoffer as New Executive Director

Erik Hoffer, new Executive Director of the Northern Illinois Fire Sprinkler Advisory Board

Orland Park, IL (September 19, 2019) – The Northern Illinois Fire Sprinkler Advisory Board (NIFSAB) and the National Fire Sprinkler Association (NFSA) named Erik Hoffer as the organization’s new Executive Director. Hoffer will work closely with members of the fire service, elected officials, building officials and decision-makers to raise public awareness about the life- and property-saving benefits of fire sprinklers, provide training, and promote progressive legislation.

Hoffer has 12 years experience working with the fire sprinkler industry and fire service. He joined NIFSAB and NFSA more than two years ago as Field Operations Local Coordinator where he has worked with fire departments and municipalities utilizing NIFSAB and NFSA resources to support their public awareness and advocacy efforts, including live fire sprinkler demonstrations, as well as their code and legislative activities.

Prior to joining NIFSAB, Hoffer was account executive at PPA Communications, a marketing communications firm that specializes in developing and implementing information and education campaigns for safety advocacy groups and trade associations. During that time, Hoffer worked closely with NIFSAB, Illinois Fire Safety Alliance, Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition (NFSA is a founding member), NFPA and other organizations.

“As board members, we’ve worked with Erik for a number of years and we are confident he will do a good job in this leadership position,” said Matt Treutelaar, Chair of the NIFSAB board and president, Great Lakes Plumbing and Heating Company. “He understands the industry and the issues. He has built strong relationships and works well with members of the fire service, contractors and other stakeholders that utilize NIFSAB’s resources.”

“Erik has been a valued teammate at NFSA for the past two years and in the industry for more than a decade,” said NFSA President Shane Ray. “He has a great opportunity to build on the legacy Tom Lia has spent 20 years building.”

Hoffer said he is excited about his new role and is ready to move forward. “NIFSAB has a great legacy of providing fire sprinkler education and resources to its fire and building official partners and their communities. I am proud to be part of that tradition.”

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Lisa2019-09-23T01:44:40-05:00September 19th, 2019|Comments Off