Opponents of sprinklers can easily rankle fire officials. In their zeal to make a point or defend their position, they have been known to overstate things. They often pass along misinformation - perhaps unknowingly - that they get from other sources. It is easy to fall into the trap of an "us against them" mentality and become argumentative. The first rule in these situations is to remain composed and refrain from negative comments. The next rule is to consider the opponent's arguments as "sales resistance" that you can overcome with information.
Take an opponent who states at a city council meeting that "older homes are the problem because they have old electrical systems." An effective response is a friendly reply like "That seems to make sense on the surface, but fire loss data show that this is not the case. Electrical fires account for less than 10 percent of fire causes. Human behavior, (e. g., arson, misuse of smoking materials, cooking and children playing with matches) accounts for over 80 percent, making electrical fires a minor factor."
Any response that says or implies that the opponent is a liar will not go over. Keep in mind that in most cases opponents have not confirmed whether their statements are factual, they just pass along what they heard. Patience, a positive demeanor and solid facts will win out.