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Fire Protection needs Protection of the Law Essay

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Fire Protection needs Protection of the Law
In 1864 Major Stewart Harrison, an English Engineer, gave to the world the first Automatic Sprinkler Head, his design was also in fact superior to many that followed it. But, as so often happens, it was not Mr. Harrison who gave the automatic sprinkler a practical development, and it is Henry Parmelee, of Newhaven, Conn., and Frederick Grinnell, of Providence, R.I., that the credit must be awarded for giving to the Automatic Sprinkler its practical application and laying the foundation of what is now a worldwide industry (Wormald Web). Until now, sprinklers are been …show more content…

During the demonstration, Mr. Parmelee installed the system in a Wholesale Market made of wooden shed (20ft x 30ft), which he fitted with six of his Sprinklers. The floor was strewed with a mass of chips, shavings, tallow, cask shavings, barrels, etc, all well saturated with paraffin oil. Then, light was set in three different places. Immediately huge volumes of flames burst forth and drove the spectators back some distance from the shed. In one minute and twenty seconds the first Sprinkler opened, followed by two others, and in a short time not a vestige of the fire remained (Wormald). Spectators were amazed and given deep impression by the demonstration. Later, insurance company learned the importance of having automatic sprinkler installed, would reduce the financial loss ratio to fire. So more insurance companies began raising the insurance for large business and commercial buildings, forcing business owners to install automatic fire sprinkler systems to lower the payments. Mr. Parmelee was able to convince the insurance company and getting contract from mill owners; creating the world's first fire sprinkler company. His vision of making the system practical finally became real.
Into the late 20th century and early 21st century, automatic fire sprinkler has became mandatory by law

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