According to Tennessee fire officials, the residents of Park Ridge Assisted Living are grateful for the sprinkler system in their building after a fire began on Friday, January 31. Thanks to the fire sprinkler system, residents were able to safely evacuate the building, and the damage to the building was contained to one room.
“The damage to the building was minimal, and no residents were displaced,” Oak Ridge Fire Department Chief Darryl Kerley said. “Without the sprinkler system, we believe the outcome would be very different.”
Since 2003 the state of Tennessee mandated that fire sprinkler systems be installed in all nursing homes.
“The adoption of sprinkler system legislation has no doubt saved countless lives,” said Assistant Commissioner for Fire Prevention Gary West. “The lifesaving capabilities of these systems can be the difference during a fire.”
