For Immediate Release
Topic: Fire Sprinklers in Bedford Schools
For more information, contact Fire Chief Scott Hunter @ 603 792 1369 or
Superintendent Mike Fournier @ 603 472 3755
Fire sprinklers in the Bedford Schools are not a new topic of discussion. The need to comply with school safety standards set forth by the NH State Fire Code was identified over a decade ago. Fire sprinklers are not the only way that code infractions can be overcome. However, when municipal water became available in Bedford, sprinkler systems became the most cost-effective and least disruptive solution to meet compliance with these standards.
Three of Bedford’s public schools do not have fire sprinkler systems: Memorial Elementary, McKelvie Intermediate and Peter Woodbury Elementary. The Bedford High School, Ross A. Lurgio Middle School, and Riddle Brook Elementary School all have fire protection. Sprinkler systems are installed in educational occupancies as a means of enhancing life safety and protecting property. They have been a priority of national fire protection standards for half a century. At the time that the three schools were constructed, municipal water was not available at the locations of these schools. When water was available on County Road twelve years ago, piping was plumbed to PWS and McKelvie in anticipation of sprinkler systems in these schools. The Bedford Fire Department and NH State Fire Marshal’s Office has been working with Bedford School officials since that time to develop mutually agreeable timelines for the installation of these systems.
Fire departments across the country respond to over 3,000 school fires annually. Even small fires without injury result in thousands of dollars in damages and significantly disrupt student education. The cost to replace Peter Woodbury, Memorial, and McKelvie combined is $30 million. To properly protect these investments with sprinkler systems is $1.3 million dollars for all three schools. There are no current plans to replace these educational facilities, so the investment in facilities is immeasurable. It is difficult to imagine the cost of disruption as a result of a small fire affecting a small portion of a school in our district that utilizes all of its space. In addition to decreasing fire vulnerabilities, the inclusion of sprinkler systems allows the enhancement of security measures further protecting our students.
The special bond article (Article II) on the School District Warrant is a funding option for voter’s consideration on March 10, 2020. Voting polls open at 7 am and close at 7 pm.
