Forest Fire Sprinkler Systems

     Good news for residents of Cook County- The government finally awarded Cook County a 3 million dollar Wildfire Sprinkler System Grant.  The first time the grants were offered was after the 1999 Blowdown storm.  We’re glad we took advantage of the last opportunity to purchase systems since that is what saved us during the Ham Lake Fire.  Hopefully this amount of money will be enough to assist everyone who wants one and that they will be installed before next year’s fire season.

Cook County gets grant for forest fire sprinklers
, Star Tribune

 

DULUTH, Minn. – Residents of Cook County in northeastern Minnesota are getting some help from the federal government to help protect their buildings against forest fires.

 

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has given the county $3 million to help more home, cabin and businesses owners install external sprinkler systems.

 

The FEMA money will pay up to half the cost of installing or upgrading the systems. The grant was announced Wednesday by U.S. Rep. Jim Oberstar, who represents the area.

 

The sprinkler systems are credited with saving dozens of buildings during the 2007 Ham Lake fire that destroyed nearly 150 buildings in Minnesota and Ontario . Few, if any, buildings that had working sprinklers were lost.

 

The sprinkler systems run best when a propane motor pumps water out of lakes or streams and onto cabins, homes and restorts.

Information from: Duluth News Tribune, http://www.duluthsuperior.com