The most controversial points in the proposed fire code for Windham in discussions at the first 2010 Windham Town Council meeting on Jan. 5 boil down to those requiring fire suppression technology in all new residential construction, or in renovations costing 50 percent or more of the value of the home. Other questions about the proposal were discussed, but none so likely as these to be cut from the final product.

The issue for some councilors seems to be this: this requirement will set too high a hurdle in home costs, forcing some prospective homebuyers from the market. This sounds like populist opposition, presumably protecting the little guy, but I wonder how big that margin really is.

The major opposition to this common-sense fire safety proposal, which directly benefits firefighters, homeowners, municipalities and taxpayers, comes not from mortgage seekers but from builders and contractors who nationally and in Maine have opposed adoption of the International Code Council’s building code, which includes residential sprinkler systems, and which is an international standard for safe building.

In a residential fire in the past, before synthetics and plastics were as much a part of furniture, carpeting, draperies, toys many other household items, the homeowner had 17 minutes to escape from the start of a fire to the “flash-over” point. “Flash-over” is when combustible gases in the house contents, released by the heat of the growing fire, explosively ignite. Today, synthetics and plastics decrease that time to 6 to 8 minutes. In the average fire, the occupant has about 3 minutes to exit their home before toxic and combustible gases given off by synthetics and plastics allow escape. A sprinkler suppresses a fire where the fire starts, so if flash-over occurs at all, it is significantly delayed allowing occupants to escape and firefighters to approach a much less involved fire.

Sprinkler systems save lives, but also decrease wear and tear on taxpayer-purchased fire equipment. Lost tax revenue to municipalities are greater from the total loss of a house than from limited damage. The average fire repair cost for a residence with a sprinkler system is about $2,500, without a sprinkler system, over $45,000. Sprinkler systems allow money-saving design options in single residences, in subdivisions, in cluster housing. For a contractor designing a subdivision, the gain from one additional lot from the smaller lot size requirements possible with sprinkler-equipped homes offsets the incremental cost of adding the systems. Insurance carriers offer discounts to homeowners with sprinkler systems, while fewer total loss payouts are reflected in everyone’s premiums.

On the commercial side I don’t hear much controversy, and it appears this council will approve the admirable work of Chief Hammond, and Deputy Chief Wescott helping the town into line with standard practices. The state has adopted the ICC’s building code, but final approval is set for later this year. If the state adopts this common-sense fire safety proposal, Windham will be obligated to as well.

Steve Demetriou lives in Windham.