Historical buildings or structures, deemed so by local, state, or national preservation organizations, are to be protected by the provisions of NFPA 914, Code for Fire Protection of Historic Structures. Culturally significant items and collections such as those found in museums, libraries, or churches are to be protected by the provisions of NFPA 909, Code for the Protection of Cultural Resource Properties — Museums, Libraries, and Places of Worship. These are two standards that may not regularly be encountered by jurisdictional fire inspectors, but instead, are in the realm of the special experts who are charged with the care and maintenance of these historical buildings and cultural collections.
Boston University produced this training video to raise awareness of fire risks to cultural properties and to provide technical information about fire detection and suppression systems including sprinklers, gaseous agents, and water mist. Also shown are examples of institutions that have sensitively installed appropriate devices.
Today marks the start of the United States Fire Administration’s, National Arson Awareness Week. The theme for 2017 is, “Arson Prevention at Houses of Worship”
Each year there is an average of 103 fires that affecting houses of worship. The burning of a house of worship is a stressful event; it not only devastates the affected congregation, but wounds the entire community. Whether the motivation behind the arson is hate or reckless vandalism, a congregation views it as an attack on their beliefs and values.
Arson robs congregations of their valuable assets, lives and property. Arson destroys more than the buildings used as houses of worship; it can devastate a community, resulting in the decline of the neighborhood through increased insurance premiums, loss of business revenue, and a decrease in property values.
Houses of worship are particularly vulnerable to fire damage because they’re often unoccupied for long periods of time, and in many cases, in rural areas. Rural properties will generally sustain more severe damage – even with an accidental fire – since discovery and response time may be delayed.
A real threat to houses of worship are those that exist from terrorism and terrorist activity. The Al-Qaidah publication, Rumiyah, Edition 5 outlines how to cause an incendiary attack. The article outlines ways and means, and also provides a list of targets. The below image and caption comes from the publication:
Caption reads: "1707 San Jacinto in Dallas, Texas - A popular Crusader gathering place waiting to be burned down"
