Senator Bonacic Announces New Law to Enhance Fire Prevention and Safety for College Students

“Kerry Rose Fire Sprinkler Notification Act” Will Help Educate College Students About Fire Prevention and Safety

    Senator John J. Bonacic (R/C/I- Mt. Hope) recently announced that legislation to require New York colleges to provide written information on fire safety and sprinkler systems to students residing in college-owned or operated housing, has been signed into law by Governor Cuomo. 

     “Fire safety and prevention is incredibly important, especially at colleges where young people often don’t know what systems are in place to keep them safe during a fire,” said Senator Bonacic. “This new law gives students the tools they need to prevent future tragedies from occurring and parents the peace of mind of knowing that their children are informed if the unthinkable should ever happen.”

     Prior to the new law, colleges were required to publish fire safety standards as part of a federally required annual report, but were not required to notify resident students about such standards as part of the housing process. The new law requires that public and private colleges in New York provide a written fire safety notification to each student living in a college-owned or operated housing facility, both on and off campus. This notification will include a description of the fire safety system for the student’s housing facility, including whether or not the housing facility is equipped with a fire sprinkler system. This notification will also include information on how to access the college’s campus fire safety report required by federal law

     The new law is known as the Kerry Rose Fire Sprinkler Notification Act. Kerry Rose Fitzsimons was a student at Marist College who died, along with two others, in a January 2012 fire in her off-campus housing unit. Her family and friends have started the “Kerry Rose Foundation” to educate college students about fire prevention and safety.

     The new law takes effect immediately.