National Fire Sprinkler Week is an annual initiative organized by the Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition to educate the public about the life-saving benefits of residential fire sprinklers. UL Research Institutes' Fire Safety Research Institute is helping amplify the message “Fire is Fast, Sprinklers are Faster” by turning fire science into public action – giving homeowners, educators, and policymakers the resources they need to understand the danger and make safer choices.
Recent research highlights just how dangerous modern fire threats have become, especially those involving lithium-ion batteries. Our experiments on e-scooter battery fires show that once thermal runway begins, conditions can deteriorate with alarming speed. In full-scale residential experiments, flashover, the point where a room becomes fully engulfed in flames, occurred in under a minute.
Our research also demonstrates a clear, powerful solution: installing fire sprinklers. By controlling or suppressing fires in their earliest stages, residential sprinkler systems can dramatically slow fire growth, reduce temperatures, and limit the production of toxic gas. This added layer of protection is important given the rapid fire development associated with emerging hazards like lithium-ion batteries. Through this work, UL Research Institutes' Fire Safety Research Institute is contributing critical scientific evidence to support public education and reinforce the importance of residential fire sprinklers.
Shared commitment to public safety and education is also reflected in the Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition's work. The HFSC is a non-profit organization, founded in 1996 in response to the tremendous need to inform the public about the life-saving value of home fire sprinkler protection.
This year also marks HFSC’S 30th anniversary, alongside an important milestone in fire prevention, 40 years since Scottsdale, Arizona adopted its ordinance requiring fire sprinklers in all new homes. Since January 1, 1986, Scottsdale has required automatic fire sprinkler systems in all new single-family residences, as well as in all commercial and multi-family buildings.
Learn more about the commemoration of the 30th anniversary of HFSC, the 40th anniversary of Scottsdale’s residential sprinkler ordinance, and the unveiling of a new educational exhibit at the Hall of Flame Museum of Firefighting by watching the live-streamed event. The program features remarks from our public education lead, Nicole Sanders, who shares key findings from the recently released research paper, “Examining the Impact of Residential Fire Sprinklers on e-Scooter Fires Initiated by Thermal Runaway of Li-Ion Batteries”, including insights on fire growth, escape time, and the effectiveness of sprinkler systems.
To learn more about the impact of residential sprinklers, read our latest report: “Examining the Impact of Residential Fire Sprinklers on e-Scooter Fires Initiated by Thermal Runaway of Li-Ion Batteries”, now available on the Take CHARGE website.
Side-by-Side Burn Demonstrates Fire Sprinkler Safety
"The findings are clear: in today's modern fire environment, time is not on our side. As new technologies such as lithium-ion battery-powered devices become more common in our homes, the importance of layered fire protection becomes even more critical.
Residential fire sprinklers provide that key layer of protection by slowing fire growth, preventing flashover, and giving occupants valuable time to escape, all while reducing risk to responding firefighters."
— Nicole Sanders
Public Education Lead
UL Research Institutes | Fire Safety Research Institute
To learn more about the impact of residential fire sprinklers on lithium-ion battery fires, watch the side-by-side burn demonstration, and explore additional fire safety resources through batteryfiresafety.org.
