What it boils down to is the fire
department wants every new building in
Dallas to have a sprinkler system and
smoke alarm detector.
The only exception would be buildings the
size of a small convenience store.
Currently, high rise buildings must have
a sprinkler system or be
compartmentalized.
This building behind me is one Lincoln
Center in far north Dallas.
It's not even completed yet, but it's a
good example of a building that has
compartmentalization rather than having
sprinkler systems.
Now, what the fire department maintains
is that compartmentalization is good for
stopping the spread of a fire, but it
would do nothing to stop the spreading of
smoke. And in case of a fire, that's
where most of the deaths would occur.
Fire officials and the Building Code
Advisory Board met this afternoon to
discuss these changes.
Another proposal would make it mandatory
for the fire chief to personally approve
any and all variances to the building
code during construction.
The board often allows certain leeway
with that code.
The meeting today is just the first step.
All changes would have to be approved by
city council.
That means a public hearing and
construction firms are expected to raise
a ruckus. The reason?
Sprinkler systems are expensive,
but the fire department says the cost is
well worth it if only one life is saved
by letter. Channel 5 Action News, Dallas.