Should the federal government be supporting fire safe homes?

The federal government, through a variety of mechanisms, funds home purchases and rentals throughout the nation.  At the same time, it funds programs to reduce the risk and impact of fire.  Yet, the federal government does not economically incentivize residential fire sprinkler systems in the homes, in rental units, nor in off-base funding for military personnel.  Is it time for the federal government to really address this issue?  If so, I am putting forth the following for discussion by the nation’s fire and emergency services.

1. Require that all federal backed housing loans require residential fire sprinklers. This would include FHA and VA backed housing.  In doing so, the rate of residential sprinkler adoption would rise dramatically in both new and existing housing, reducing the life safety impact of fire within a few years.
2. Require retrofitting of housing stock following disasters when federal funds are used to repair or replace houses and apartments.
3. Require that housing vouchers are only used to support fire safe units that include not only working smoke detection and alarm systems but also fire sprinkler systems.
4. Require that all on- and off-base housing for military personnel be equipped with smoke detection and alarm systems and fire sprinkler systems.

In adopting an economic support system to incentivize the adoption of residential fire sprinkler systems would, within a few short years, alter the residential fire risk throughout the nation.  While fire sprinkler systems would not guarantee that fires would be extinguished, they would provide critical time to escape fire, resulting in fewer deaths and injuries due to fire for both citizens and emergency responders.

What do you think?  Should the nation’s fire service rally around a nationwide incentive system to speed the adoption and spread of residential sprinkler systems?