Injured in a home fire as a child, firefighter Phil Tammaro underscores the powerful impact firefighters have in advocating for home fire sprinklers.
"It's very important for all firefighters to champion for home fire sprinklers and do anything they can to get involved."
Name: Phil Tammaro
Date of Fire: August 14, 1971
Location: Billerica, Massachusetts
Injuries: Burned on more than 30 percent of his body; recovery lasted nearly four decades
This video was produced through a collaboration with NFPA's Fire Sprinkler Initiative and the Phoenix Society for Burn Survivors.
Phil Tammaro was only two years old when he was significantly burned in a home fire. His painstaking recovery lasted 39 years, well into his fire service career. However, he refused to let his injuries define him or prevent him from having a fulfilling career as a firefighter.
Instead, Tammaro, a member of the Billerica Fire Department in Massachusetts, used his story to exact change. He learned that as a firefighter, his voice is a powerful tool in the push for home fire sprinklers across North America. "Fire sprinklers slow down the progress of fire ... and allows families extra time to get out safely," he says. "It's important that we advocate and increase awareness of fire sprinklers and the benefits of them, not only how they help protect our citizens but keep our firefighters safe. It's very important that all firefighters champion this and do anything they can to get involved."