Presenter: Scott Somers and Maria Figueroa

One of the goals of NFPA’s Fire Sprinkler Initiative is to provide the advocacy tools needed to get local governments to require home fire sprinklers. But opponents of sprinklers are convincing state lawmakers to introduce bills to prohibit local adoption. This session will discuss the current status of anti-sprinkler legislation. It further provides a case study of how one community is finding creative ways to fund fire sprinkler initiatives despite a state ban on local sprinkler ordinances. One program installs home fire sprinklers in low- to moderate-income housing. Another program is a city-run Sprinkler Cost Assistance Program grant to encourage revitalization of underutilized commercial space downtown. The discussion will include the challenges of federal grant obligations and program reporting. Estimates of economic and job impacts will be presented.