Fire Department's Deputy Chief Kyle Minick receives 2013 Bringing Safety Home Award

The Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition (HFSC) and the National Fire Protection Association’s (NFPA) Fire Sprinkler Initiative have announced that Deputy Fire Chief Kyle Minick is the recipient of the 2013 Bringing Safety Home Award, jointly presented by the two organizations. Minick is Deputy Chief of Operations with the North Charleston Fire Department.

The Bringing Safety Home Award annually recognizes the efforts of fire chiefs who use HFSC’s educational materials and the resources of the Fire Sprinkler Initiative to ensure that decision-makers have accurate information as new or updated residential fire sprinkler codes are considered.

Chief Minick volunteered to chair the South Carolina Sprinkler Coalition and to spearhead a series of live flashover and fire sprinkler side-by-side demonstrations held across his state in partnership with the South Carolina Fire and Life Safety Education Association. More than 20 of these dramatic demonstrations have been held since 2011, utilizing materials and information from both HFSC and NFPA’s Initiative.

In the nomination for the award, Chief Minick was hailed for his role in attracting the large number of firefighters, the media and the public who attended the side-by-side demonstrations. “Not only does Chief Minick represent the residential fire sprinkler issue well through his volunteer efforts, he lives this,” the nomination says. Chief Minick had fire sprinklers installed in his own home.

“Having a local advocate willing to take the lead on fire sprinkler education is key to making progress both in public awareness and in strong public safety requirements,” says Lorraine Carli, speaking on behalf of both HFSC and NFPA. Carli is president of HFSC’s Board of Directors and is vice president of communications for NFPA. “Chief Minick’s personal and professional efforts to increase residential fire sprinkler protection throughout his state make him a most worthy recipient. We are pleased to honor his work with the 2013 award.”

A demonstration coordinated by Chief Minick

The nonprofit Home Fire Sprinkler Coalition (HFSC) (www.homefiresprinkler.org) is a national, 501(c)(3) charitable organization focused solely on educational outreach. It is the leading resource for independent, noncommercial information about home fire sprinklers.

NFPA’s The Fire Sprinkler Initiative (www.firesprinklerinitiative.org), in cooperation with many other interested individuals and organizations, encourages the use of home fire sprinklers through increased awareness and adoption of local ordinances or model codes.