Bill Text: HI HR47 | 2011 | Regular Session | Amended
Bill Title: Fire Safety; Automatic Fire Sprinklers; Family Dwellings
Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 7-0)
Status: (Passed) 2011-03-31 - (H) Resolution adopted in final form. [HR47 Detail]
Download: Hawaii-2011-HR47-Amended.html
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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES |
H.R. NO. |
47 |
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TWENTY-SIXTH LEGISLATURE, 2011 |
H.D. 1 |
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STATE OF HAWAII |
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HOUSE RESOLUTION
REQUESTING THE STATE BUILDING CODE COUNCIL TO ADOPT THE REQUIREMENT THAT AUTOMATIC FIRE SPRINKLERS BE INSTALLED IN NEW ONE- AND TWO-FAMILY DWELLINGS.
WHEREAS, the State is concerned with the health, safety, and welfare of its citizens; and
WHEREAS, this includes, among other things, providing fire protection to its citizens and property, and protecting the safety of fire fighters who respond to emergencies in the State; and
WHEREAS, fire departments in the United States responded to an estimated 399,000 home structure fires in 2007, which caused 2,865 civilian deaths, 13,600 civilian injuries, and $7,400,000,000 in direct damage; and
WHEREAS, approximately 84 percent of all civilian fire deaths in 2007 resulted from home structure fires, and an average of eight people died in home fires in the United States every day; and
WHEREAS, in the City and County of Honolulu alone, there were 120 home structure fires in 2007, resulting in two civilian deaths, 23 civilian injuries, and $9,600,000 in direct damage; and
WHEREAS, in the City and County of Honolulu 100 percent of all fire deaths, 77 percent of the fire injuries, and 51 percent of the fire-related dollar loss in 2007 resulted from home structure fires; and
WHEREAS, automatic fire sprinklers are a proven
life-saving system with quick and effective response to the presence of nearby
fires; and
WHEREAS, the presence of fire sprinklers in the home reduces the chance of
death in a fire by approximately 80 percent; and
WHEREAS, people in homes with fire sprinklers are protected against significant property loss, as fire sprinklers reduce the average property loss by 71 percent per fire; and
WHEREAS, two international building codes, the "International Residential Code" 2009 edition and the "National Fire Protection Association 5000 Building and Construction and Safety Code" 2009 edition, mandate fire sprinklers in new one- and two-family dwelling construction; and
WHEREAS, the operation of just one fire sprinkler head will contain a fire approximately 90 percent of the time; and
WHEREAS, the most cost-effective time to install fire sprinklers is during new construction; and
WHEREAS, the State Building Code Council is studying the issues related to requiring the installation of automatic fire sprinklers in new one- and two-family dwellings; now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-sixth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2011, that the State Building Code Council is requested to adopt the requirement that automatic fire sprinklers be installed when constructing new one- and two-family dwellings, in compliance with the latest editions of nationally-recognized safety codes; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the State Building Code Council is requested to:
(1) Clarify the definition of one- and two-family dwellings; and
(2) Address the issues of accessibility and availability of water to all dwellings;
and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the State Building Code Council is requested to submit a report of its findings, recommendations, and actions taken pursuant to this Resolution, to the Legislature no later than 20 days before the convening of the Regular Session of 2015; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Comptroller, Chairperson of the State Building Code Council, Chairperson of the State Fire Council, and Fire Chief of each county.
Fire Safety; Automatic Fire Sprinklers; Family Dwellings
