Central Sprinkler Company Announce Voluntary Recall To Replace O-Ring Fire Sprinklers
Press Release # 01-201
Transcript
(View of Fire burning on pedestal in a dark room)
(Man speaking) "The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Central Sprinkler Company of Lansdale, Pennsylvania, (View of sprinkler being activated over fire) are announcing a recall (View of woman wearing rubber gloves, sitting in laboratory with sprinkler in hand, placing it in box) to replace 35 million fire sprinklers that contain O-ring seals. (View of sprinkler being used to demonstrate model of sprinkler being recalled) Also included are a limited number of O-ring models sold by Gem Sprinkler Company and Star Sprinkler, Inc. (View of sprinklers on conveyor belt) Problems with the O-ring seals can cause these sprinklers to fail to operate under certain conditions. (View of woman taking sprinklers from conveyor belt and packaging them) Central will provide free parts and labor to replace all of its O-ring fire sprinklers sold under the Central, Gem, and Star brand names.
(View of large house, camera zooming out) The Sprinklers are installed across the country to thousands of (Views of many of the places listed by the narrator) houses, apartments, hospitals, day care facilities, schools, dormatories, nursing homes and hotels. Many office buildings, supermarkets, and parking garages also are equipped with teh spriknlers.
(View of CPSC Chairman, Ann Brown: speaking)"I am pleased that Central is voluntarily undertaking this replacement program so actively to protect consumers from the risk of sprinklers not activating in a fire."
(View of six varieties of sprinklers, with man speaking once again) "The voluntary replacement program includes more than 60 models of wet and dry sprinklers." (Close up of one of the sprinkler being displayed) "Wet sprinklers are installed in pipes filled with water." (View of a different sprinkler) "Dry sprinklers are used in areas that may be exposed to very cold temperatures."
(View of man holding sprinkler) "The performance of these O-ring sprinklers can degrade over time. The sprinkler heads can corrode or contaminants in water can affect the sprinklers' rubber O-ring seals."
(View of man standing under sprinkler with a bucket, removing the sprinkler from ceiling and stepping down to ground level) "Central has received 4 reports of wet sprinklers failing to activate durring a fire, and 9 simmilar reports on dry sprinklers. These incidents resulted in two property damage claims against Central." (View of hand reaching to ceiling again, pulling on sprinkler, and then using a mechanical device to remove it) "The O-ring sprinklers were sold under the Central, Gem, and Star brand names." (View of sprinklers arranged on dark background) "Central iwill provide detailed information to help consumers identify if their sprinklers are involved."
(View of man standing on ladder next to bucket, removing a sprinkler from the ceiling by hand) "Laboratory testing has indicated that most of the heads would operate in a fire situation, but certain tested heads required higher water pressure to activate than may be available in particular buildings." (Man replacing sprinkler head) "Due to the number of sprinklers involved, Central and CPSC have agreed to a phased-in program with priority based on the age of the sprinklers, type of building in which the sprinklers are found, and whether the sprinklers show signs of corrosion or leakage."
(View of man speaking) "Central Sprinkler realizes that this is a large undertaking given that most of these heads are working fine, but it is clearly the right thing to do"
(View of sprinkler being activated, with screen reading "Central Sprinkler Hotline 1-800-871-3942 sprinklerreplacement.com") "If you think that you might have these fire sprinklers, call the Central hotline at 1-800-871-3942, or visit its website at sprinklerreplacement.com." (View of man replacing sprinkler head of wall) "Central will send you a packet of information that explains the recall and will help ypu identify the sprinklers involved. Central will provide you with free replacement sprinkler heads. The replacement heads do not contain O-ring seals. The company will also arrange for the replacement heads to be installed by a contractor."
End.