Life Safety Systems, Fire Department Intervention, and Residential Fire Outcomes: Analysis of 28 Years of BC Fire Incident Reports: 1988-2015

Life Safety Systems, Fire Department Intervention, and Residential Fire Outcomes: Analysis of 28 Years of BC Fire Incident Reports: 1988-2015

Fire Chief Len Garis of the City of Surrey will present the findings of his extensive report on residential fires. The report looks at both fire causes and takes into account the impact of fire suppression and other strategies on fire statistics including the relative size of losses.

This report examines 42,701 residential1 fire incidents reported to the British Columbia (BC) Office of the Fire Commissioner (OFC) between 1988 and 2015, inclusive (22.4% of the 190,564 fire incidents reported over this time). The high-level purpose of this analysis was to examine the significance of the method of fire control and fire safety systems on the fire outcomes (with respect to damage to properties and fire-related casualties). Building on these patterns, this analysis explores the fire outcomes for the specific subsection of areas within residential properties that experienced a disproportionate number fires and fatalities: the living room, the kitchen, and the bedroom. These room-specific findings are discussed with respect to the potential to enhance residential building fire safety in a targeted manner intended to both increase protection for residents and keep the costs of fire protection relatively low

This report may be helpful in leading to the evidence and outcomes for the various safety systems we often speak about, this presentation seeks to provide objective balance in how sprinklers / smoke alarms contribute to life safety in BC

Presenter:

Len Garis

Fire Chief
City of Surrey 
Adjunct Professor, School of Criminology & Criminal Justice 
University of the Fraser Valley

Date:  January 17, 2017
Time: Registration and Reception 5:30pm
Location: False Creek Yacht Club (1661 Granville Street)
Cost: Members - $30; Non-members $35. Please bring cash or a cheque payable to BC Society of Fire Protection Engineers to cover the cost of dinner.
Registration Deadline: January 15, 2017

Free parking is available in the Yacht Club parking lot.