NFPA Journal - October 2016 Home Fire Sprinkler Special Issue - 40
ยป OUTREACH
ADVOCACY, LEGISLATION, AND PUBLIC EDUCATION
BATTLE ROYAL
A hard-hitting investigative series details the tactics of the homebuilders'
lobby in its determined-and expensive-fight against home sprinklers
A bird's-eye view of a sprinklered housing development in
South Carolina. The state's governor, Nikki Haley (right),
is close to the South Carolina homebuilding lobby and has
pushed sprinkler-supporting fire marshals to resign.
T
he recent series of stories published by ProPublica on the home
sprinkler opposition mounted
by U.S. homebuilders offers a detailed,
unflinching look at what can happen when
public safety meets a powerful, well-funded
lobby. One of those stories covered the
sprinkler fight in South Carolina, including
homebuilder influence that reached the top
levels of state government. The following
is an excerpt from that story, which can be
read in full at propublica.org.
In the spring of 2012, U.S. homebuilders
were celebrating a string of victories. In
more than a dozen state capitals from
Phoenix to Tallahassee, they had managed
to block plans to require fire sprinklers in
new homes.
40
NFPA JOURNAL OCTOBER 2016
Then came a threat from a
place they thought was buttoned
up: South Carolina.
It happened hours into a marathon session of the obscure council that sets state building codes.
Some of the 15 council members
who had gathered at the firefighters academy in the woods outside the state
capital of Columbia already left for home.
Late into the night, the state's fire marshal,
Adolf Zubia, somehow persuaded a majority of those remaining to support sprinklers
by a vote of 6-3.
Zubia hadn't really expected to prevail.
Just as surprised was a spectator in the
front row-Mark Nix, head of the state
homebuilders association. The vote posed
a threat to his industry. Adding sprinklers
could cost builders thousands
of dollars per
home. California
and Maryland
already required
residential
sprinkler systems, but if South Carolina fell, other more
conservative states might follow.
Nix locked eyes with the fire marshal at
the council table. According to Zubia, Nix
mouthed a warning: "You. Are. F----d."
While Nix denies saying that, Zubia
instantly found himself in hot water. Before
the meeting even adjourned, his phone
buzzed with a text. He was to report to the
office of Governor Nikki Haley first thing in
the morning.
Photographs: Homes Urban; inset, Getty Images
http://www.propublica.org
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NFPA Journal - October 2016 Home Fire Sprinkler Special Issue
Contents
NFPA Journal - October 2016 Home Fire Sprinkler Special Issue - Cover1
NFPA Journal - October 2016 Home Fire Sprinkler Special Issue - Cover2
NFPA Journal - October 2016 Home Fire Sprinkler Special Issue - 1
NFPA Journal - October 2016 Home Fire Sprinkler Special Issue - Contents
NFPA Journal - October 2016 Home Fire Sprinkler Special Issue - 3
NFPA Journal - October 2016 Home Fire Sprinkler Special Issue - 4
NFPA Journal - October 2016 Home Fire Sprinkler Special Issue - 5
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NFPA Journal - October 2016 Home Fire Sprinkler Special Issue - Cover3
NFPA Journal - October 2016 Home Fire Sprinkler Special Issue - Cover4
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