The International Residential Code Fire Sprinkler Coalition announced plans to host a free educational Webcast on home fire sprinklers. The program will broadcast on May 3, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. EDT.

“This Webcast will serve as a tremendous educational tool for anyone who wants to learn the facts about residential sprinklers,” said Ronny Coleman, a retired California State Fire Marshal and IRC Fire Sprinkler Coalition spokesman, who will host the program. “The fact is, sprinklers are a simple, cost-effective way to protect your family, your home and your possessions – and the Web cast will demonstrate this by answering many questions on people’s minds about the topic. We welcome all interested individuals to sign up and participate.”

In the past 30 years, more than 100,000 Americans have lost their lives in residential fires. Although smoke alarms have significantly improved home fire safety in recent years, fire-safety experts are actively promoting the combination of residential sprinkler systems and smoke alarms as the basic fire protection package for all new homes.

The program will feature information about how residential sprinkler systems work, including special topics such as installation costs; designing systems to work with tanks, wells and small water meters; and installation of systems in freezing climates. Interviews with builders, building officials, homeowners, legislators, sprinkler contractors, plumbers and many leading safety advocates will be included in the presentation. In addition, narrated video showing burn demonstrations and several types of sprinkler system installations, including CPVC and PEX materials and dedicated versus multipurpose layouts, will be presented.

Interested participants can register here. Posted at this site until May 3 is a test video stream, American Heat: Fires that Caused Change. The program examines some of the nation's most significant fires such as Cocoanut Grove, the MGM Hotel and the Beverly Hills Supper Club.

For those who are unable to participate in the initial Webcast, the program will be made available at a later date on DVD and for online viewing at www.IRCFireSprinkler.org.