Require Fire Extinguishers in Rentals

Justification

A recent devastating and tragic fire in Queens Village, which claimed the lives of five individuals-all under the age of 21-is a call to action in terms of fire safety. Sadly, the multiple dwelling that the victims lived in was found to be absent of any working smoke detectors and fire extinguishers.

While current New York State Laws, Rules and Regulations mandate the presence of smoke detectors in multiple dwellings, there is currently no such requirement with respect to fire extinguishers.

There is a common misconception that the majority of civilians cannot properly use fire extinguishers. This assumption has influenced how fire codes have historically been written and ultimately impacts the expansive availability of fire extinguishers. However, a study to test the validity of that assumption showed that 76% of novices handle fire extinguishers correctly and are able to pull the pin and discharge the agent. Furthermore, it is simply not enough to only have smoke alarms in a residence because, as one study demonstrated, 4o% of fire deaths from 2009 to 2013 happened in the presence of operating smoke alarm.

In Europe, two separate studies were conducted to measure the effectiveness of fire extinguishers. One key finding was that around 8o% of all fires were effectively put out at their early stages by fire extinguishers; additionally, among those cases, around 75% of them did not even require subsequent attendance from a fire department. When these results were extrapolated to the United States, the 8o% extinguishing level was maintained. In other words, in 8o% of all fire incidents, a portable fire extinguisher is the only firefighting tool needed to extinguish the fire. Furthermore, approximately 6o% of those incidents in the United States subsequently did not need notification to the fire department. Therefore, not only were there findings favorable but they were replicable further proving their validity. Moreover, it is important to prevent a fire at its early stage because 93% of all fire-related deaths and 95% of all direct property damage occur once the fire has progressed beyond its early stages. Additionally, having a fire extinguisher will not add any significant increase in cost to the resident owner or the occupant because at least in commercial occupancies, the current cost for portable fire extinguishers is less than one cent per square foot.

Both hard data National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) and life-experience indicate that the presence of fire extinguishers can have a profound effect in terms of successfully putting out fires in their incipient stages. In short, fire extinguishers can totally prevent or significantly minimize the effects of a fire that breaks out. They are a simple safety tool that can save lives.

In the name of safety-particularly in two family residences and larger multiple dwellings-fire extinguishers should be as common as running water, heat and hot water, and light and air. This bill cannot bring back the lives of angels that we have lost, but it can prevent future blazes and loss of life.

Prior legislative history

New Bill.

Fiscal implications for state and local governments

None.

Effective date

This shall take effect immediately.