Analysis of the “Life Safety Evaluation System for Business and Residential Buildings” Cecil Bilbo, Senior Partner, Pro Design Group A Study Funded by: The Northern Illinois Fire Sprinkler Advisory Board And The National Fire Sprinkler Association

NFPA 101 Current Nationwide Use

Analysis Objectives Values of Various Life Safety Systems Costs for Upgrades Demonstrate Equivalencies or Disparities

Comparisons LSE Residential Life Safety Upgrades101A-7 Residential 101A-8 Business RankAvg % Change DescriptionRankAvg % Change RankAvg % Change Add Sprinklers, Smoke Detectors, Rated Shaft, Communications Systems Add Smoke Detectors, Communications Systems, Remove Storage Add Sprinklers, Communications Systems, Remove Storage Add Communications Systems, Remove Storage

Life Safety Systems Apparent Values of Importance LSE(Mayor’s Proposal) Two-Way Communication Systems Miscellaneous Storage or Other Hazards Smoke Detectors Rated Shafts Fire Sprinkler System (Only 14% increase) NFPA (National Model) 1. Fire Sprinkler System (43% increase) 2. Rated Shafts 3. Smoke Detectors 4. Two-Way Communication Systems 5. Miscellaneous Storage or Other Hazards

LSE “…take a look at the point value …” MINIMUM POINT SCORES Fire Safety Means of Egress General Safety Fully Sprinklered Residential Non-Sprinklered Residential 3337 POINT DIFFERENCE 35 (Max=40) 25 (Max=20) 40 (Max=40)

NFPA report: U.S. Experience with Sprinklers November 2003 Fire Sprinkler Protection reduced the death rate from fires by an average of 75% in all occupancies between 1989 and Two to three out of every four people that perished in a fire could be alive today if there had been fire sprinklers in the buildings where they died.

Upgrade Costs Smoke Detectors throughout per NFPA 72 Two-way Communications Systems (Chicago Building Code) Combined Detection and Communications Fire Sprinkler System $458, $326, $680, $586, (Add $100,000 for cosmetic upgrade)

Actual Cost to Owners (7 years) $2, per unit (1,200 square feet)   less than $ per year, if the State andFederal Governments pass the incentives currently before them. The cost rises to $3, or $ a year without these incentives.   $47 per month over 7 years.

Mayor’s Model vs. NFPA 101A Mayor’s Model (LSE)   Newly devised   Untested system   Unproven in Lawsuits (unlimited exposure) NFPA   Worldwide acceptance   Proven and Upheld in Lawsuits (limited exposure)   Used all across the US and required statewide in 35 states   IL State Fire Marshal mandated

Large US Cities High Rise Retrofit Ordinances New York1973 Boston1986 Los Angeles1988 Atlanta1989 San Jose (Silicon Valley)1990 Phoenix1991 Philadelphia1991 San Francisco1993 Louisville1993 ChicagoNone

History of Sprinklers in Chicago 1935, the City of Chicago required all men's dormitories to be equipped with automatic sprinkler systems. 1963, all schools and similar institutional occupancies were required to be sprinklered. 1970, all exhibition areas in the city were required to be sprinklered. 1977, the City passed legislation requiring all nursing homes to be sprinklered. The law was challenged in the courts, and a Circuit Court Judge ruled it unconstitutional, but the law was ultimately upheld by the Illinois Supreme Court.

What’s Best for Chicago? If the national trend and worldwide experts are any indication, it would be the installation of Fire Sprinkler systems in all high rise occupancies Alderman Burke’s proposal is supported by the NFPA Codes and Standards Mayor Daley’s proposal with the NFPA evaluation system.