BEND, Ore. -

Building owners, occupants, facility managers and building maintenance personnel: If you have not already done so, NOW is the time to take the preventive measures to prevent fire sprinkler systems from freezing, Bend fire officials said Monday.

Here's a news release from Deputy Fire Marshal Jeff Bond:

Weather forecasts anticipate temperatures to stay below freezing for a prolonged period of time. Bend Fire & Rescue responds to several fire sprinkler activations due to pipes breaking from freezing every year. We want to remind you to take action now to prevent costly damage.

Most fire sprinkler systems that do freeze are the result of lack of maintenance. Ensure that all periodic maintenance has been completed. Contact your fire sprinkler service company to schedule service if it is overdue. Frequencies for maintenance vary depending on the type of system that is installed. Contact your local fire department for information related to maintenance.

Often times the cause of a sprinkler system freeze is inadequate heating. While there are a few sprinkler types designed to operate in cold temperatures, the majority of fire sprinkler pipe must be installed in areas that can maintain a minimum temperature of 40 degrees Fahrenheit.

Make sure your heating and ventilation systems are in good working order. Ensure that thermostats are not set below 40 degrees Fahrenheit. When using supplemental heating equipment utilize only equipment that is listed and approved for its intended use.

Always provide at least 3 feet of clearance when using portable space heaters. Low temperature alarms may be used to alert responsible parties, particularly in normally unoccupied areas. That way, if heating equipment fails or the area otherwise drops below 40 degrees, the cause of the failure can be corrected before pipes freeze.

If you have had any recent maintenance repairs or remodeling that may have compromised the insulation above ceilings, check those areas to ensure that the insulation has been reinstalled correctly. Frequently insulation may be removed to accommodate a repair and restoring it to the original condition is often overlooked. Properly insulated and heated areas will prevent your sprinkler system from freezing.

These simple steps can prevent the costly damage from fire sprinkler pipe breaks, not to mention time lost to restore your building back to full operation. Check your fire sprinkler system today. Call your service company to schedule maintenance. Check your heating and ventilation system. Use safe heating practices. Call your local fire department for any questions related to fire sprinkler systems and how to prevent a freeze.

Continued here:
Bend FD offers cold-snap sprinkler system warning

Dulaney High School is one of the top high schools in the state in terms of academics, but its decades-old water pipes aren't performing as well.

Three times in the past year pipes have burst. In one instance, water filled the orchestra pit in the auditorium during a winter break and ruined musical instruments. In another, the school lobby was flooded and assistant principals joined custodians as they desperately tried to sweep water out the front door while a plumber worked to shut off the flow.

These stories, as well as the lack of air conditioning, the rusted sinks, cloudy windows and cracked tiles, motivated parents Kristin Panousos and Lisa McClellan to begin a campaign to fix the school. With all the other responsibilities teachers and administrators have this year, said Panousos, "I am blown away they are dealing with a building that is crumbling around them."

Dulaney is one of the many school buildings across Baltimore County in need of repairs and upgrades, according to a new report by a consultant for the school board. The assessment rated each of the 173 buildings, giving them a score of one to five. A five was given to just 13 schools, most either built or renovated in the past several years. The majority of schools received a two or a three.

Fourteen schools scored below a two, indicating serious problems. The lowest score, a 1.03, went to Colgate Elementary, in the southeastern part of the county. The 90-year-old building contains asbestos, lacks air conditioning and is on a busy street. The wiring and pipes need replacing, there's no sprinkler system, the corridors are narrow and the lighting is poor, according to the report.

Despite its problems and those at Dulaney, there are no plans to address the deficiencies.

Although the county has committed to spend $1.1 billion to repair and replace schools in the next decade, a good portion of that money will be spent simply trying to keep up with school system enrollment, which has grown by 5,000 students over the past five years.

Many of Baltimore County's elementary schools are bursting at the seams, with trailers accommodating the overflow. According to school system figures, there were 2,900 more students in the elementary schools this year than there were seats or what the state rates the schools to hold.

As in Baltimore, where $980 million will be invested in the next several years for upgrades and renovations to city schools, the county has schools that are aging, lack air conditioning and haven't been updated in years. But unlike the city, which after years of declining enrollment has too many seats, the county faces pressure to upgrade schools at the same time it must build new ones.

The county has built several new elementary schools in recent years in the Towson area, where the overcrowding has been the worst, but more schools need to be added in other fast-growing areas.

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Four-year plan calls for major upgrades for schools

Two of five people who died Sunday morning in a fire at a senior living high-rise in Castle Hills have been identified. City officials, meanwhile, acknowledged that the building did not have a sprinkler system in place.

According to the Bexar County Medical Examiner, Jose O. Gonzales, 73, and Karen Rae Betz, 74, died around 6 a.m. when a fire gutted at least one floor of the 11-story Wedgwood Senior Living apartments in the 6700 block of Blanco Road.

Gonzales who lived next door to apartment 302, where authorities believe the blaze started died from smoke inhalation and complications due to cardiovascular disease, according to the medical examiner. The cause and manner of death for Betz, who lived in apartment 701, has not yet been determined.

Karen Betz was a widow who moved from Iowa to San Antonio in 2009, according to her son and daughter, Michael and Michelle Betz.

She came down here because I'm retired military and I was living here, and she wanted to move to where it was warmer, Michelle Betz said. She would bake and cook and take things to her neighbors.

On Sunday morning, Karen Betz called her sister to say there was smoke in the hallways. The sister then called Michelle Betz.

There had been false alarms. Sometimes, there would be some smoke. She would report the guy down the hall because he'd be smoking. And so, you didn't know when the alarms went off. This was the real thing, Michelle Betz said, her voice trailing off.

The siblings said they await the results of the investigation and an autopsy, but added that she will be buried in Iowa and services will be there. Karen Betz's husband, Allan, worked at John Deere in Iowa for several years. He passed away a few years ago.

Authorities have not yet released the identities of the three others who were killed because they had been only tentatively identified and next of kin had not been notified.

Castle Hills Mayor Tim Howell described the fire as the worst catastrophe the city has experienced to his knowledge. In a tweet to his followers Sunday afternoon, Gov.-elect Greg Abbott said he is praying for the victims of the fire and expressed thanks to first-responders.

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High-rise fire victims family: 'There had been false alarms

Minecraft Agrarian Skies ep87 - An advanced sprinkler system
Aven and Chris are stranded on what is left of all of minecraft. Their only goals are to survive, and complete a quest book handed to them by the gods. All mods and map can be found in the...

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Minecraft Agrarian Skies ep87 - An advanced sprinkler system - Video

You've probably seen a number of movies where a small amount of smoke triggers all of the sprinklers in a building, soaking everyone and everything inside. But did you know that sprinklers aren't even triggered by smoke, and they don't all go off at once? Fire sprinkler systems are actually heat activated, one sprinkler head at a time, and most fires usually require only one or two sprinklers to be extinguished. These are just two of the many misconceptions about fire sprinkler systems. In this article, we'll dispel other myths and learn the ins and outs of this important safety technology.

You might think installing a fire sprinkler system is like choosing water damage over fire damage. This belief is a spinoff from the myths we just mentioned -- that sprinklers are activated by smoke and every sprinkler head goes off at the same time. If that were the case, sprinkler systems could potentially cause more harm than good. After all, if you burned a piece of toast, every sprinkler would go off, soaking all of your belongings, even though there never was any real danger of fire. Fortunately, the clever engineers who developed these systems designed them to reduce the damage to your property from water, smoke and fire.

Fire sprinkler systems have been around for more than two centuries and have seen significant improvements over the years. It's true that early versions weren't very reliable and caused significant water damage. But today, sprinkler systems are credited with reducing deaths and loss of property by more than 65 percent [source: Fleming]. Since each sprinkler head is automatically triggered by fire-specific temperature, just one or two sprinklers can quickly extinguish and/or contain a fire to the room where it started and cause little property damage. And because sprinklers use about six times less water than a fire hose, they're actually less harmful to your property than a visit from the fire department.

Still convinced you know everything you need to know about fire sprinklers? We'll address another common myth and discuss the details of how sprinklers work on the next page.

Read more here:
How Fire Sprinkler Systems Work - HowStuffWorks

Okay, the planning's done, you've bought all the parts, now you're in the yard, shovel in hand, ready to start. In this helpful video, we'll show you the steps to a perfect sprinkler system installation, including trenching, connecting the water source, installing shut-off valves, working with PVC pipe, building a valve manifold, connecting wires, installing sprinklers and flushing your system.

Place a stake or flag at every sprinkler location as indicated on your layout. Use string to show where the pipe will run.

STOP! Make sure you know where all gas lines, power lines and cable TV lines are before you start to dig. Be sure to call your utility companies if you need help.

Dig trenches following the string. Mark the sprinkler locations with flags or the stakes. Typical trench depths range from 6 to 12 inches.

To run pipe under existing walkways you can "drill" using water pressure. Get a piece of PVC long enough to go under the walk, glue a slip-female thread adapter to one end and attach a hose. On the other end glue a slip-male thread adapter and connect a Jet Spray Nozzle (available at most home improvement and home & garden retailers).

Dig your trench up to the walk on both sides. Now turn on the water and work your way through. It may take a while, and it will get muddy so turn off the water once in a while to let the water soak in.

To make trenching easier ask your local tool rental supplier about a "power trencher." If you are using a Poly Pipe, ask about a pipe pulling machine, which will bury pipe without digging up your lawn. Be sure to put enough space between valves on the manifold so that they can be removed in case they ever need to be replaced.

Hook up your water supply. Did you check with your Rain Bird Dealer to find out which connections are right for our local codes and conditions?

Assemble your valve manifold. Connect the back-flow preventer if required.

Read more here:
Sprinkler System Installation Guide - Rain Bird: Sprinkler ...

HENRICO COUNTY, Va. Avenue, a womens clothing store, was evacuated Wednesday afternoon after Henrico Fire crews responded to a fire inside the store located at 9077 Staples Mill Road.

Henrico Fire Battalion Chief Eugene Gerald said it appeared the fire started at about 1:04 p.m. in the main part of the store. The exact cause of the fire has not yet been determined.

Inside the Avenue clothing store fire crews found a small fire that had been extinguished by the stores sprinkler system, Henrico Fire spokesman Danny Rosenbaum said. There was minor smoke, water and fire damage done to the Avenue clothing store. The GameStop next to the store suffered minor water damage and the Sweet Frog had no damage.

Chris Jarvis and his youngson took a shopping break to watch his heroes in action.

It looks like it was pretty serious, Chris Jarvis said. Hes a fan of fire trucks. So, we wanted to make sure everything was alright.

No injuries were reported as a result of the fire.

Photos taken at the shopping center showed Henrico Fire crews in the parking lot. One witness said he saw smoke coming from Avenue, but never saw any flames.

Nearby stores and restaurants such as Sweet Frog andGameStop were temporarily closed while Henrico Fire crews investigated,Gerald said.

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Sprinkler system controls fire inside West End store

SIDE BY SIDE BURN DEMONSTRATION OF RESIDENTIAL SPRINKLER SYSTEM
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SIDE BY SIDE BURN DEMONSTRATION OF RESIDENTIAL SPRINKLER SYSTEM - Video

Posted: Thursday, December 18, 2014 4:36 pm | Updated: 5:27 pm, Thu Dec 18, 2014.

Sprinkler system nearly puts out fire before firefighters arrive By James Gilbert, Yuma Sun staff writer Yumasun.com

A sprinkler system had mostly extinguished a fire in a commercial building in Yuma Wednesday night by the time firefighters arrived on scene.

Yuma Fire Department spokesman Mike Erfert said that shortly after 10 p.m., a water flow alarm was received, indicating a fire sprinkler system had activated in a commercial building located at 475 W. 32nd St.

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Sprinkler system nearly puts out fire before firefighters arrive

Posted: Thursday, December 18, 2014 4:36 pm | Updated: 5:27 pm, Thu Dec 18, 2014.

Sprinkler system nearly puts out fire before firefighters arrive By James Gilbert, Yuma Sun staff writer Yumasun.com

A sprinkler system had mostly extinguished a fire in a commercial building in Yuma Wednesday night by the time firefighters arrived on scene.

Yuma Fire Department spokesman Mike Erfert said that shortly after 10 p.m., a water flow alarm was received, indicating a fire sprinkler system had activated in a commercial building located at 475 W. 32nd St.

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Sprinklers nearly put out fire before firefighters arrive