Americans may not have a clear understanding of the fire-safety measures necessary in building construction.

A survey of 1,000 American adults shows that only 10 percent recognized the contribution of fire walls toward fire safety in buildings. However, 44 percent of American adults identified sprinkler systems and 26 percent identified smoke and fire detectors as having the greatest potential for contributing to fire safety.

"The real answer to the question is 'all of the above.' Relying solely on sprinklers or any one protective measure is a dangerous practice," said Mark B. Hogan, president of the National Concrete Masonry Association.

Passive systems, such as concrete fire walls, are generally more effective than suppression methods such as sprinklers, which are dependent on electricity and water supplies and can occasionally fail. Concrete masonry can reduce or even eliminate the spread of fire, adding precious minutes to escape and rescue time, giving occupants time to exit and medical personnel time to conduct rescue operations.

The same survey revealed that nearly half of Americans (47 percent) believe building code and fire code officials are responsible for making sure that buildings are constructed to prevent fires and help save lives when fire strikes. A majority (85 percent) believes that stricter building codes for public and commercial buildings would improve fire safety.

One of the NCMA's goals is to encourage officials to make building codes more fire safe and to consider the use of concrete masonry or other forms of fire containment construction.

"We also encourage consumers to write to their elected representatives to express concern with the level of fire-safety protection requirements found in building codes," Hogan said.