HR0658 104TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0658 LRB104 20458 RMO 33924 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Home fires are the biggest element of the U.S. fire problem for civilians and responders; and

WHEREAS, According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), 86% of all civilian structure fire deaths are in homes, and home fires cause $9.4 billion in direct property damage each year; and

WHEREAS, Residential structure fires account for 66% of firefighter injuries, with over three times as many firefighter injuries occurring in residential rather than nonresidential structures, per the U.S. Fire Administration (USFA); and

WHEREAS, According to Underwriters Laboratories and the National Institute of Standards and Technology, home fires are deadlier today due to unprotected, lightweight construction material, open floor plans, abundant synthetic furnishings, and emerging technology such as lithium-ion batteries, which make homes burn faster, becoming deadly in two minutes or less; and

WHEREAS, The USFA estimates that home fire sprinklers could save thousands of lives each year if more were installed in homes; and

WHEREAS, Fire sprinklers are a proven and cost-effective means of protecting lives and property from the threat of fire; and

WHEREAS, Fire sprinklers offer the highest degree of fire protection and are critical in saving lives and property; and

WHEREAS, Fire sprinklers can control a fire, and thereby the smoke, while it is still small and prevent a room from being engulfed in flames, which can happen in under two minutes, thereby saving the lives of occupants and first responders; and

WHEREAS, The National Fire Sprinkler Association (NFSA) reported that in the 18 years between January 1, 2007 and December 31, 2024, Illinois has seen 1,131 fatalities and 4,171 injuries as a result of fires in one- and two-family homes without fire sprinkler systems; and

WHEREAS, During that same 18-year period, there were zero fatalities and only seven injuries in one- and two-family Illinois homes with fire sprinkler systems; and

WHEREAS, Including fire sprinklers in local building codes and community risk reduction supports fire service resources, staffing, and budgets due to the increased safety of homes with fire sprinklers, which improves communities and allows fire service resources to be directed to those at highest risk; and

WHEREAS, Stronger state and federal support of home fire sprinkler education will help address confusion and anti-code negativity while encouraging fire service advocacy for the installation of home fire sprinklers; and

WHEREAS, Increased installation of fire sprinklers in new homes will directly and indefinitely protect and improve communities of every size; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we declare May 10 through May 16, 2026 as Home Fire Sprinkler Week in the State of Illinois; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be presented to Alan Jacobs, chair of the Illinois Chapter of the National Fire Sprinkler Association, and Janean Dyson, Illinois member and chapter relations coordinator of the National Fire Sprinkler Association.