THE BUSINESS OF PRACTICE: EMERGENCY AND MEDIA PREPAREDNESS


Fig. 14. Example of a Sprinkler suppression system.18


Fig. 13. Lightning rods installed on a barn.21


that need to be followed but consulting a fire mar- shal for information on improved standards will in- crease future success in preventing fires. Safety standards as set forth in local jurisdictions are cre- ated to ensure the safety of humans and animals but in most communities are a minimum protection lev- el; for more valuable and insured animals, a higher safety standard should always be sought.


Detection, Alarm, and Suppression


Obviously, the best key to fire protection is preven- tion of ignition, but fires are inevitable and a detec- tion system is of great consequence to a fast response. The first sign of a fire is often smoke which may smolder/burn for hours or even days without an open flame. Smoke detectors of several types (flame detectors, thermal rate of rise detectors, ionization detectors, etc. depending on barn design and expense) will need to be installed by a contractor in multiple open and closed areas of the barn. Hav- ing the detectors in direct communication with a local fire station or security system when they alarm dramatically reduces emergency response time to the location. Along with smoke and carbon monox- ide detectors, consider a local security alarm in- stalled to notify any local individuals of the intimate danger, which increases the chances of getting the horses out of the barn. Suppression is vital to saving the horses trapped


in a burning facility (Fig. 14). “Sprinklers in a barn at Plainridge Racecourse, a harness racetrack near Boston, saved some 35 horses when a fire broke out May 9.…The racetrack, located in Plainville, about 35 miles southwest of the Boston area, had a sprin- kler system installed in the barns in 1999.”3 The question is not whether or not a sprinkler system needs to be installed, but what type of system is best. Insurance premiums are substantially re- duced for facilities outfitted with a sprinkler system, but few equine builders or designers emphasize their use, which arises from few equestrians insist-


446 2014  Vol. 60  AAEP PROCEEDINGS


ing on their use. Part of the challenge is initial expense for these systems can be up to 20% of the building costs, although components have been get- ting more reliable and cheaper over the last 20 years as contractors have installed more systems. In residential and public buildings, numerous


studies have shown that in facilities with automatic sprinkler systems, the ability of the fire department to respond and save people as well as the facility is substantially improved. Sprinkler systems can have an operational reliability, which means the system works as intended. It has been reported that a high of 93%22 operational reliability can be reached. Performance reliability can also be mea- sured—how adequate the system will perform once it is employed. This number is much lower indicat- ing that sprinklers will control a fire but are not used to extinguish it, establishing again that detec- tion and alarm at the local fire department are cru- cial to avoid loss of the facility and contents. A major determining factor for sprinkler system


choice is the climate and geographical location of the facility. Sub-zero temperatures will not allow for a “wet” system to be installed or pipes will freeze and burst in the winter months, rendering them useless. The most convenient is a dry sprinkler system where the pipes are filled with compressed air or nitrogen, which in turn holds a valve shut to hold the water out. The sprinkler head will open when there is a temperature variation, leading to the opening of the value and the rush of water flow into the pipes and system. Limitations include that a substantial water source and pump need to be avail- able to provide enough pressure and water for the system (D Farr, oral communication, May 24, 2013). However, these challenges can be overcome with appropriate mitigation. Sprinklers are the single BEST method of suppression of a fire in any type of facility, providing enough time for the first respond- ers to arrive and attempt rescue of trapped horses as well as preventing spread of the fire to prevent fa- cility damage and insured dollar losses. Their lack of use in the horse industry can be attributed to lack of understanding and knowledge by the horse own- ing community.


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