Boston, MA – State Representative Timothy J. Toomey, Jr.  (D-Cambridge/Somerville), Chairman of the Joint Committee on Public Safety, along with Co-Chair Senator Jarrett Barrios (D-Cambridge), Representative Kathi-Anne Reinstein (D-Revere), Senator Stephen Brewer (D-Barre), and Representative Robert Nyman (D-Hanover) released the new fire safety recommendations which are a result of their committees investigation in response to the Station Night Club Fire in Rhode Island.

              The following is a brief summary of the recommendations filed in today’s report:

Staffing:          The centerpiece of the subcommittee’s recommendations is the implementation of “Fire Service Grants”, very similar to the competitive grants that police departments are eligible for under Community Policing. The recommendations call for a population-based competitive grant process that awards every community in Massachusetts a distribution of funds to be used for purchasing new fire equipment.  Fire Departments can select from a “menu” of available equipment and can also use up to 50% of award monies towards supplementing staff salaries.

Fire Extinguishers/Smoke Detectors: Unfortunately, the effectiveness of fire extinguishers and smoke detectors has been overshadowed by the recent attention on automatic sprinklers.  Early warning devices, such as smoke or heat detectors, alert occupants to impending danger in order to take quick action against fire.  Fire extinguishers provide a primary means of protection where occupants can quell a blaze before it gets out of control or can use it to clear an escape route if the fire is spreading too quickly.  The importance of these fire safety tools cannot be understated and it is discouraging that they have been overlooked despite the effectiveness of automatic sprinklers.

Balanced Design:       Another major difference is the subcommittee’s advocacy for the use of “balanced design” construction.  With proper installation of smoke detectors, fire extinguishers and automatic sprinklers, a further “balancing” of fire safety methods is still necessary; especially in buildings that house individuals who lack the capability of self-preservation due to underdevelopment or illness.  The subcommittee has discovered that the concept of compartmentalization meets this criteria by dividing buildings into fire compartments enclosed by firewalls, fire doors and by fire-rated floors and ceilings and limits the extent of fire and fire damage. This means that a building, constructed using this method, could contain a fire in very a limited area – effectively “cordoning off” the fire without compromising structural integrity, endangering other occupants or resulting in significant property loss. 

The subcommittee recommends that all future construction or major addition to schools, school dormitories, assisted living facilities and respite care facilities should be built under the concept of “balanced design”.

SAFE Program:                      The subcommittee has called for a reauthorization of the SAFE Program (Student Awareness of Fire Education).  SAFE is a state initiative to provide resources to local fire departments to conduct fire and life safety education programs in grades K-12. The mission is to enable students to recognize the dangers of fire and more specifically the fire hazards tobacco products pose. Unfortunately, this program has been cut from the state’s budget since 2002.

Harkins/BalserBill : The members of the Joint Committee on Public Safety were the first public officials in Massachusetts who charged that the current state of fire regulations and fire prevention in the Commonwealth was inadequate.  The subcommittee also became the first public body to seek corrective action in order to prevent catastrophes such as the fire in West Warwick from occurring in Massachusetts.  This resulted in the favorable recommendation of House Bill 3726 – the Harkins/Balser Bill – only 3 weeks after The Station fire on March 13^th 2003.  This bill calls for mandatory sprinklers in nightclubs & dancehalls and completely bans all pyrotechnics displays in the same venues. .

The Subcommittee held public hearings in Rockland, Hyannis, Boston and Revere, and became the first in the state to call for mandatory sprinklers in nightclubs & dancehalls. Senator Jarrett Barrios stated that “Our homes, workplaces and clubs will be better protected from devastating fires only if we act immediately to strengthen fire safety laws.  In addition to strict sprinkler requirements lawmakers have looked at the larger picture, including better building codes and enhanced training and staffing for local fire departments.  Our goals is to develop one of the strongest fire codes in the country so that we can avoid future tragedies”.

Representative Toomey also reminded those in attendance that it is important to remember that the National Fire Protection Association has found that the month of December is one of the most dangerous months for house fires.  In light of that fact  Representative Toomey told each of us to “spread the word to everyone you know to keep your families safe this holiday season by checking all smoke detectors, do not leave candles, electrical devices and wood fires unattended.”

Copies of the full report are available in the Office of the Committee on Public Safety in Room 39 of the State House.,  617-722-2230