TO ALL
We have been working with Sen. Edwards office to get this out.
Please contact your Representatives and ask them to support this crucial
legislation. Many colleges and universities give lip service to supporting
fire sprinklers and hide behind the costs. This would blow a hole in that
argument. Please support the passage of this important bill. WE NEED TO
PUT FIRE SPRINKLERS IN STUDENT HOUSING. There is no better answer to the
fire problem on-campus.
DAN JONES
-----Original Message-----
From: Ed Comeau [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Tuesday, February 29, 2000 11:02 AM
To: College Fire Safety
Subject: Dormitory Sprinkler Bill
College Fire Safety
The following bill was introduced in the U.S. Senate on Thursday, February
24, 2000.
Ed
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S 2100 IS
106th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 2100
To provide for fire sprinkler systems in public and private college and
university housing and dormitories, including fraternity and sorority
housing and dormitories.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
February 24, 2000
Mr. EDWARDS (for himself, Mr. LAUTENBERG, and Mr. TORRICELLI) introduced the
following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
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A BILL
To provide for fire sprinkler systems in public and private college and
university housing and dormitories, including fraternity and sorority
housing and dormitories.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United
States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the `College Fire Prevention Act'.
SEC 2. FINDINGS.
Congress makes the following findings:
(1) On Wednesday, January 19, 2000, a fire occurred at a Seton Hall
University dormitory. Three male freshmen, all 18 years of age, died.
Fifty-four students, 2 South Orange firefighters, and 2 South Orange police
officers were injured. The dormitory was a 6-story, 350-room structure built
in 1952, that housed approximately 600 students. It was equipped with smoke
alarms but no fire sprinkler system.
(2) On Mother's Day 1996 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, a fire in the Phi
Gamma Delta Fraternity House killed 5 college juniors and injured 3. The
3-story plus basement fraternity house was 70 years old. The National Fire
Protection Association identified several factors that contributed to the
tragic fire, including the lack of fire sprinkler protection.
(3) It is estimated that in a typical year between 1980 and 1997, there were
an average of 1,800 fires at dormitories, fraternities, and sororities,
involving 1 death, 69 injuries, and $8,100,000 in property damage.
(4) Within dormitories the number 1 cause of fires is arson or suspected
arson. The second leading cause of college building fires is cooking, while
the third leading cause is smoking.
(5) The National Fire Protection Association has no record of a fire killing
more than 2 people in a completely fire sprinklered public assembly,
educational, institutional, or residential building where the sprinkler
system was operating properly.
(6) New dormitories are generally required to have advanced safety systems
such as fire sprinklers. But such requirements are rarely imposed
retroactively on existing buildings.
(7) In 1997, over 90 percent of the campus building fires reported to fire
departments occurred in buildings where there were smoke alarms present.
However, only 28 percent had fire sprinklers present.
SEC. 3. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act $100,000,000
for each of the fiscal years 2001 through 2005.
SEC. 4. GRANTS AUTHORIZED.
(a) PROGRAM AUTHORITY- The Secretary of Education, in consultation with the
United States Fire Administration, is authorized to award grants, on a
competitive basis, to States, private or public colleges or universities,
fraternities, or sororities to assist them in providing fire sprinkler
systems for their student housing and dormitories.
(b) MATCHING FUNDS REQUIREMENT- The Secretary of Education may not award a
grant under this section unless the entity receiving the grant provides,
from State, local, or private sources, matching funds in an amount equal to
not less than one-half of the cost of the activities for which assistance is
sought.
SEC. 5. PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS.
(a) AWARD BASIS- In awarding grants under this Act the Secretary of
Education shall take into consideration various fire safety factors and
conditions that the Secretary determines appropriate.
(b) LIMITATION ON ADMINISTRATIVE EXPENSES- An entity that receives a grant
under this Act shall not use more than 4 percent of the grant funds for
administrative expenses.
SEC. 6. DATA AND REPORT.
The Comptroller General shall--
(1) gather data on the number of college and university housing facilities
and dormitories that have and do not have fire sprinkler systems and other
forms of built-in fire protection mechanisms; and
(2) report such data to Congress.
END
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Ed Comeau
writer-tech.com
196 Franklin Street
Belchertown, MA 01007 USA
1-413-323-6002 (tel)
1-413-323-5295 (fax)
[log in to unmask] (email)
http://www.writer-tech.com (web site)
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