III
112th CONGRESS
1st Session
S. RES. 104
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
March 17, 2011
Mr. Lautenberg (for himself, Ms. Collins, Mr. Levin, Mr. Sanders, and Mr. Menendez) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
August 2, 2011
Committee discharged; considered and agreed to
RESOLUTION
Designating September 2011 as “Campus Fire Safety Month”.
Whereas, each year, States across the Nation formally designate September as Campus Fire Safety Month;
Whereas, since January 2000, at least 143 people, including students, parents, and children have died in campus-related fires;
Whereas 85 percent of those deaths occurred in off-campus residences;
Whereas a majority of college students in the United States live in off-campus residences;
Whereas a number of fatal fires have occurred in buildings in which the fire safety systems had been compromised or disabled by the occupants;
Whereas automatic fire alarm systems provide the early warning of a fire that is necessary for occupants and the fire department to take appropriate action;
Whereas 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 college students live in off-campus residences, fraternity and sorority housing, and residence halls that are not adequately protected with automatic fire sprinkler systems and automatic fire alarm systems;
Whereas fire safety education is an effective method of reducing the occurrence of fires and reducing the resulting loss of life and property damage;
Whereas college students do not routinely receive effective fire safety education during their time in college;
Whereas it is vital to educate young people in the United States about the importance of fire safety to help ensure fire-safe behavior by young people during their college years and beyond; and
Whereas, by developing a generation of fire-safe adults, future loss of life from fires may be significantly reduced: Now, therefore, be it
That the Senate—
designates September 2011 as “Campus Fire Safety Month”; and
encourages administrators of institutions of higher education and municipalities across the country—
to provide educational programs to all students during September and throughout the school year;
to evaluate the level of fire safety being provided in both on- and off-campus student housing; and
to ensure fire-safe living environments through fire safety education, installation of fire suppression and detection systems, and the development and enforcement of applicable codes relating to fire safety.