We seem to be discussing the value of building codes, which is germane to being equipped to survive. On one extreme, we have the situation in Bangladesh, where the absence of code, or at least their enforcement, leads to very bad situations. While I don't know of any off hand, I am sure there are examples of unduly restrictive and pedantic building codes that hinder rather than help.

Living in earthquake country, I know that one reason real estate is relatively expensive here is the code requirements for many details that relate to building survival during a shaking event. Most of these have been instituted based on experience in quakes, and in my opinion, at least, are cost effective.

It also occurs to me that I have a lot of things "that almost will never be needed" - the seat belts in my car, my 357 magnum (nearly needed it once, though), the tourniquets in my FAK. I have never needed to use my signal mirror for aid, although it has come in handy on many occasions. I just replaced both my climbing helmet and biking helmet, although I wore them out without them ever actually saving my noggin. The list goes on and on.....

Sprinkler systems for both commercial and residential properties have saved many lives and properties. The potential that some lives could have been lost due to drowning does not out weight the importance for the code requirement that structures with high life loss potential have sprinkle systems.

NFPA

USFA

Alantic City -Showed How Sprinkler Systems Can Save Lives

Fire Sprinkler Systems Credited For Saving Lives In Texas

Pete

I have encountered the statement -"No lives have ever been lost in a fire in a fully sprinkler equipped building" (presumably in the US). This statement was in print, so it must be true, or must have been true. Do you know if, in fact, this ever was the case, and if it still holds?

Sorry, I do not know if that statement is correct or if it was, remains true. What I can say, it sprinkler systems in general have been noted many times in post incident reports as having limited fire damage. Based upon those reports, it would seem prudent that building/Life-Safety Codes requiring sprinkler systems are easily defendable.

While I am not suggesting anyone here holds the opinion that Life-Safely Codes requiring sprinkler, smoke/heat detectors in all homes, businesses, etc. should be at the discretion of the owner. My belief is those who do, have never had to recover the body of a young child (or actually anybody) from the ruins of his/her bedroom because there were no working smoke detectors.

Pete

Rather than start a new thread, I thought I'd post this AP article here. It's a subsequent tornado event, where some of the fatalities might be considered "fallout" from the original tragic event. Instead of sheltering in place, many people tried to make a run for it.

"Friday night's storm formed out on the prairie west of Oklahoma City, giving residents plenty of advance notice. When told to seek shelter, many ventured out and snarled traffic across the metro area — perhaps remembering the damage from May 20.

"It was chaos. People were going southbound in the northbound lanes. Everybody was running for their lives," said Terri Black, 51, a teacher's assistant in Moore.

After seeing last month's tornado also turn homes into piles of splintered rubble, Black said she decided to try and outrun the tornado when she learned her southwest Oklahoma City home was in harm's way. She quickly regretted it.

When she realized she was a sitting duck in bumper-to-bumper traffic, Black turned around and found herself directly in the path of the most violent part of the storm. "My car was actually lifted off the road and then set back down," Black said. "The trees were leaning literally to the ground. The rain was coming down horizontally in front of my car."

http://www.edmontonjournal.com/news/Okla...6160/story.html