Fiscal Note
No fiscal impact.
Title
Declaring September 2014 Campus Fire Safety Month.
Body
WHEREAS, recent student-related housing fires in Indiana, Massachusetts, Ohio, Minnesota, Wisconsin and other schools across the country have tragically cut short the lives of some of the youth of our Nation; and
WHEREAS, since January 2000, at least 163 people, including students, parents, and children have died in campus-related fires; and
WHEREAS, approximately 87 percent of these deaths have occurred in off-campus occupancies; and
WHEREAS, a majority of the students across the Nation live in off-campus occupancies; and
WHEREAS, a number of fatal fires have occurred in buildings where the fire safety systems have been compromised or disabled by the occupants; and
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; and
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; and
WHEREAS, many students are living in off-campus occupancies and residence halls that are not adequately protected with automatic fire sprinkler systems and automatic fire alarm systems or adequate smoke alarms; and
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; and
WHEREAS, students are not routinely receiving effective fire safety education throughout their entire college career; and
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 ...
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