More than one fire official has won an ordinance and declared victory, only to see it rescinded or made less restrictive. One reason for this is because they didnt count on some critical issues that can give opponents ammunition to kill the ordinance. The RFSI has identified four factors that can result in losing an ordinance after it was adopted. They are backlash from opponents, lack of preparation to handle plan review and inspection, unresolved issues (e. g., backflow prevention), and failure to educate owners.
Backlash is likely because some opponents dont give up lightly. They will manufacture problems with the ordinance or blow up small problems in order to get policy makers to reconsider. If the fire and building departments arent prepared to enforce the ordinance, criticism will mount as home owners are not able to get timely inspections completed. If controversy breaks out over unresolved issues such as backflow prevention or meter size, the fire official will hand opponents the ammunition they are looking for.
The two problems are related. If the fire department is prepared to handle the workload and if all the ducks are lined up, fire officials can prepare for both problems.
Failure to educate the people who will be protected will also open the door to backlash. If home owners do not appreciate the value of sprinklers, they are more likely to do things that will result in problems. An example is going on vacation and turning the heat down low enough to freeze a part of the system, or uncovering insulation in the attic and exposing lines to the cold. When designing an information program for home owners, remember that people move. The education plan should include a way to monitor home sales so you can send your educational material to the new owner.