Frequently Asked Questions
On Fire Safety-sprinkler systems
If you are planning on building a new home please consider the instillation of a residential or dwelling fire sprinkler system, if you’d like more information call the Executive Director/Fire Chief at 637-5151 thank you.
What is so special about fire sprinklers? Fire sprinklers have been
in use for over 100 years. During this time there has been no loss of life
in a building where the sprinkler system was maintained and operational. Opponents
of sprinklers point to buildings like the
I have been in business for many years, now I want to put apartments upstairs and I’m being required to sprinkle them and my store? The requirement to sprinkle a particular building or business is covered under the Michigan Building Code. We work very closely with all our municipal building code officials on fire safety requirements.
The answer to your question; you are likely changing the occupancy of your building. Many factors including the number of apartments, if occupants will be permanent or transient, construction type, building height, means of egress for the occupants upstairs and downstairs. The fire separation requirements between your store and the upstairs and between the store and any stairways going upstairs have changed.
Is it possible to build without installing a fire sprinkler system? That depends on many factors such as the building size, type of construction used, occupancy type and unobstructed outside area. Sometimes it’s possible not to sprinkle if you’re willing to divide the building into fire control sections.