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| | SR0096 | | LRB104 08214 MST 18264 r |
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| 1 | | SENATE RESOLUTION
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| 2 | | WHEREAS, Home fires are the biggest element of the U.S. |
| 3 | | fire problem for civilians and responders; and
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| 4 | | WHEREAS, Eighty-six percent of all civilian structure fire |
| 5 | | deaths are in homes, and home fires cause $8.7 billion in |
| 6 | | direct property damage each year (NFPA); and
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| 7 | | WHEREAS, Residential structure fires accounted for 67 |
| 8 | | percent of firefighter injuries (USFA), and firefighters are |
| 9 | | 11 times more likely to be injured fighting structure fires |
| 10 | | (NFPA); and
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| 11 | | WHEREAS, Home fires are deadlier today as a result of |
| 12 | | unprotected lightweight construction material, open floor |
| 13 | | plans, abundant synthetic furnishings, and emerging technology |
| 14 | | such as lithium-ion batteries, which make homes burn faster, |
| 15 | | becoming deadly in two minutes or less (UL/NIST); and
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| 16 | | WHEREAS, The United States Fire Administration (USFA) |
| 17 | | estimates that home fire sprinklers could save thousands of |
| 18 | | lives each year if more were installed in homes; and
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| 19 | | WHEREAS, Fire sprinklers are a proven and cost-effective |
| 20 | | means of protecting lives and property from the threat of |
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| | SR0096 | - 2 - | LRB104 08214 MST 18264 r |
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| 1 | | fire; and
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| 2 | | WHEREAS, Fire sprinklers offer the highest degree of fire |
| 3 | | protection and are critical in saving lives and property; and
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| 4 | | WHEREAS, Fire sprinklers can control a fire, and thereby |
| 5 | | the smoke, while it is still small, as a room can be engulfed |
| 6 | | in flames in less than two minutes, saving the lives of |
| 7 | | occupants and first responders; and
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| 8 | | WHEREAS, From January 1, 2007 through December 31, 2023, a |
| 9 | | span of 17 years, there have been 4,031 injuries in one and |
| 10 | | two-family home fires in Illinois without a fire sprinkler |
| 11 | | system and 1,072 fatalities; and
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| 12 | | WHEREAS, During that same 17-year period, there have been |
| 13 | | only seven injuries in one and two-family home fires in |
| 14 | | Illinois with fire sprinkler systems and zero fatalities |
| 15 | | (NFSA); and
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| 16 | | WHEREAS, Including fire sprinklers in local building codes |
| 17 | | and community risk reduction helps support fire service |
| 18 | | resources, staffing, and budgets because when new housing |
| 19 | | stock is sprinklered it becomes safer, improving communities |
| 20 | | and allowing fire service resources to be directed to those at |
| 21 | | highest risk; and
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| | SR0096 | - 3 - | LRB104 08214 MST 18264 r |
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| 1 | | WHEREAS, Stronger state and federal support of home fire |
| 2 | | sprinkler education will help address confusion and anti-code |
| 3 | | negativity and encourage fire service advocacy of home fire |
| 4 | | sprinkler installation; and
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| 5 | | WHEREAS, More installation of fire sprinklers in new homes |
| 6 | | will directly and indefinitely protect and improve communities |
| 7 | | of every size; therefore, be it
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| 8 | | RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FOURTH GENERAL |
| 9 | | ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we declare the week of |
| 10 | | May 11, 2025 through May 17, 2025 as Home Fire Sprinkler Week; |
| 11 | | and be it further
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| 12 | | RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be |
| 13 | | presented to Erik Hoffer, Chicago IP Director for the National |
| 14 | | Fire Sprinkler Association. |