Cheshire Fire Sprinkler Week

Fire Sprinkler Week endorsed by Cheshire bosses after fire
It's business as usual at a Cheshire manufacturing company after a sprinkler system extinguished a fire, but bosses know it could have been a very different story.

Managers at Jiffy Packaging in Winsford are now supporting Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service to promote a national campaign for Fire Sprinkler Week (March 16-22).

Jiffy Technical Director, Barrie Allen, is conscious that thanks to a robust business continuity plan at the premises, and the fact that sprinklers extinguished the fire at source, it meant that production wasn't affected.

He said: "The fire occurred in a piece of manufacturing machinery at our Winsford Industrial Estate premises, just after 10am on 19 February. The premises was evacuated fully by our on-site fire marshals.

"The sprinklers are only designed to go off where a fire is situated and although we had to dry out that area, we were back up and running within a few hours."

Not only are fires a risk to people's lives but they also cause machine downtime. It is therefore key that businesses have fire marshals who are fully trained and don't panic. The automatic fire alarm system along with the sprinkler system without doubt gave Jiffy Packaging a head start on fighting this fire.

Barrie added: "I can sleep in the knowledge that the factory, production, our stock and most importantly people's lives are safe from fire at this factory."

Jiffy manufactures packaging and materials which are used in virtually every industry, so any loss of production would have had a massive impact on its business.

In 2015, Sprinkler Week is focusing on the benefits of sprinklers to businesses, including educational establishments such as schools and colleges.

In a time of austerity it becomes more important than ever for businesses and educational institutions to ensure their key resources are protected, enabling them to be in a position to continue operating after a fire. It has been suggested that eight out of 10 businesses may not recover after a major fire.

The Service's Head of Prevention and Protection, Keith Brooks, said: "This incident could have resulted in much more serious damage from which companies very rarely recover, but having a sprinkler system in place has certainly kept Jiffy in business.

"It is a prime example of how we would like all businesses in Cheshire, Halton and Warrington to treat the threat of fire.

"The focus of National Sprinkler week is Business Continuity and the support that fitting automatic fire sprinkler systems can provide to business, social and educational continuity. This case is a fantastic example of just how crucial an investment in a sprinkler system can be and I hope it will encourage more businesses in Cheshire to install them."

For more information about sprinklers and business continuity advice please visit the website www.cheshirefire.gov.uk

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