Countywide fire sprinkler ordinance now in effect

A new ordinance requiring fire sprinkler protection in new homes and businesses went into effect in Ventura County on May 1.

The new Ordinance 25 does not require retrofitting for sprinklers in pre-existing buildings. However, if any renovations increase a home's floor space by more than 50 percent, sprinklers will need to be added.

Businesses that increase floor space by more than 25 percent must also install sprinklers.

The Ventura County Board of Supervisors and other local governments, including Simi Valley, Port Hueneme, Ojai, Thousand Oaks, Camarillo and Moorpark, adopted Ordinance 25 on the recommendation of the Ventura County Fire Department last year.

A similar fire sprinkler requirement already exists in the cities of Ventura, Oxnard and Santa Paula, and in many counties throughout California.

"This is a significant step forward in protecting the safety of Ventura County residents," said Ventura County Fire Marshal Diane Morgan. "Fire sprinklers save lives, reduce property loss and even help cut homeowner insurance premiums."

Eighty percent of all fire deaths occur in the home. Installing both smoke alarms and a fire sprinkler system reduces the risk of death in a home fire by 82 percent.

For information on Ordinance 25 and fire sprinklers, visit www.fire.countyofventura.org.