Sprinklers save lives.(Letter to the editor)

DES PLAINES, ILL. -- I received your recent news story on fire sprinklers from an auto-generated search from Google (see "Sprinklers more reliable now: NFPA," January, pg. 16). I found the article good but didn't feel that it was quite accurate.

I don't know if you are aware of how big fire sprinklers really are. Especially in the northern Illinois area and actually across the nation, they are a growing trend reminiscent of the smoke alarm trend back in the late '70s and '80s.

I think your one set of numbers regarding 50% to 75% of saving lives with working