Rep. Fossella’s Measure to Protect College Students from Dorm Fires Passes House

Amendment  Would Help Colleges and Universities
Purchase  Fire Prevention Technology

[Washington, DC] – Congressman Vito Fossella’s (R NY13) measure to help college and universities purchase fire prevention technology for dormitories, student housing facilities and other campus buildings passed the House today by voice vote.

Fossella successfully inserted the amendment into the College Access and Opportunity Act (H.R. 609), which allows colleges and universities to compete for $40 million in federal funding in 11 different areas. Fossella’s amendment makes the purchase of smoke detectors, manual pull stations, sprinkler and fire suppression systems, extinguishing systems, and other fire prevention technologies eligible for federal assistance. Under the provision, the institution would be required to match dollar-for-dollar the amount of the grant received.

 “We know fire detectors and sprinklers save lives, but in too many cases college dorms do not offer students the most comprehensive protection,” Fossella said. “Parents already have enough to worry about without having to fear for the safety of their children in the event of a fire. Statistics show that sprinklers and smoke detectors reduce a person’s risk of dying in a fire by 82 percent compared to those who have neither kind of protection. This amendment will save the lives of countless students by helping colleges install fire prevention equipment. More than half of all fires on college campuses in New York occur in dormitories, and all too often lives are lost or damaged forever. My hope is that this equipment will never be needed, but should a fire break out, we need to ensure that students have the best chance of getting out safe and alive.”

Between 1993 to 1997 there were more than 1,600 fires on college campuses in the United States, with more than 90% of them occurring in dormitories, other residential structures and classroom buildings, according to the United States Fire Administration. The fire damage to dormitories alone approaches $9 million per year. Between January 2000 and April 30, 2005, 75 people have been killed in student housing fires, according to the Center for Campus Fire Safety.

In New York State, there was an average of more than 300 campus fires per year between 1997 and 2000, with roughly 160 of them annually in dormitories. Nearly half of those fires (43%) occurred in the bedroom or kitchen followed by the corridor, trash room, lounge and laundry. New York fire departments have reported two fatal residential hall fires in the past ten years.

Under the existing Uniform Fire Prevention and Building Code (UFP&BC), sprinklers are only required throughout a dormitory if the structure is greater than two stories in height. The New York City Building Code requires sprinklers when more than four dwelling units are present. Smoke detection and fire alarm systems are mandated by the UFP&BC when the building is higher than 2 stories or has more than 30 sleeping rooms.

The New York State Office of Fire Prevention and Control surveys indicated that more than 90% of the residential facilities on campuses here are equipped with some type of fire detection and/or fire alarm systems. Statistics shows 58% of dorms in the state have partial sprinkler systems, 27% have no sprinklers and 15% have full coverage.

 The amendment is endorsed by the National Burglar and Fire Alarm Association (NBFAA) and its federation of state associations.

 Merlin Guilbeau, NBFAA executive director, said, “It is the position of the NBFAA that true fire safety involves both detection and suppression. Our slogan -- Fire Detection + Suppression = Fire Safety -- embodies this belief. Fire alarms provide an early warning to students to evacuate the burning area and thus save lives in the process.”

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