Congressional Resolution Designates Campus Fire Safety Month

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Reps. Bill Pascrell, Jr. (D-NJ), Chairman of the Congressional Fire Services Caucus, and Co-chair Peter King (R-NY) introduced a resolution designating September as “Campus Fire Safety Month” to help raise awareness about the importance of fire safety.

“As students return to college campuses across our nation, September is the perfect time to reinvigorate our commitment to educating young people about fire safety,” said Rep. Pascrell, who has championed campus fire safety since the deadly fire at Seton Hall University fifteen years ago. “Educating students, parents, and schools about fire safety on campus and in on-campus and off-campus housing can save lives.  As we raise awareness in September, it’s critical we remain committed to campus fire safety throughout the school year.”

“It is important that our colleges and universities have the necessary resources to provide essential fire safety and fire-behavior education to ensure the safety of all our students,” said Rep. King.

“Fortunately, we have seen a decrease in college and university fire deaths, and a major reason is the increased awareness among students, parents, schools and communities about the importance of fire safety,” said Ed Comeau, publisher of Campus Firewatch. “Designating September as Campus Fire Safety Month is a key part of this success, and I appreciate the leadership that Representatives Pascrell and King are taking in helping raise awareness by introducing this Resolution in Congress.”

In 2008, the Higher Education Opportunity Act became law with provisions from the Campus Fire Safety Right-to-Know Act introduced by Rep. Pascrell and the late-Sen. Lautenberg. This law requires schools to make an annual report to the Department of Education on fire safety data including the number of campus fires and cause of each fire, number of injuries related to fires, and policies on smoking, open flames, and portable electrical appliances.

The full text of the resolution is as follows:

Expressing support for the designation of September 2015 as ‘Campus Fire Safety Month’
Whereas recent student-related housing fires in South Dakota, Pennsylvania, Kentucky and other schools across the country have tragically cut short the lives of some of the youth of our Nation;
Whereas since January 2000, at least 169 people, including students, parents, and children have died in campus-related fires;

Whereas approximately 87 percent of these deaths have occurred in off-campus occupancies;

Whereas a majority of the students across the Nation live in off-campus occupancies;

Whereas a number of fatal fires have occurred in buildings where the fire safety systems have been compromised or disabled by the occupants;

Whereas it is recognized that automatic fire alarm systems and smoke alarms provide the necessary early warning to occupants and the fire department of a fire so that appropriate action can be taken;

Whereas it is recognized that automatic fire sprinkler systems are a highly effective method of controlling or extinguishing a fire in its early stages, protecting the lives of the building’s occupants;

Whereas many students are living in off-campus occupancies, Greek housing, and residence halls that are not adequately protected with automatic fire sprinkler systems and automatic fire alarm systems or adequate smoke alarms;

Whereas it is recognized that fire safety education is an effective method of reducing the occurrence of fires and reducing the resulting loss of life and property damage;

Whereas students are not routinely receiving effective fire safety education throughout their entire college career;

Whereas it is vital to educate the future generation of our Nation about the importance of fire safety behavior so that these behaviors can help to ensure their safety during their college years and beyond; and

Whereas by developing a generation of fire-safe adults, future loss of life from fires can be significantly reduced: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the House of Representatives, That Congress-
(1) supports the establishment of September as Campus Fire Safety Month;
(2) encourages schools and municipalities across the country to provide educational programs to all students during September and throughout the school year; and
(3) encourages schools and municipalities to evaluate the level of fire safety being provided in both on- and off-campus student housing and take the necessary steps to ensure fire-safe living environments through fire safety education, installation of fire suppression and detection systems and smoke alarms and the development and enforcement of applicable codes relating to fire safety.