HJ0140 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HJ0140 LRB094 21408 HSS 59767 r

HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, Recent student housing fires in North Carolina, Kansas, Alaska, Oregon, and Maryland have tragically cut short the lives of some of the youth of our nation; and

WHEREAS, Since January 2000, at least 87 people, including students, parents, and children, have died in campus-related fires; and

WHEREAS, Almost 80 percent of these deaths have occurred in off-campus occupancies; and

WHEREAS, A majority of the students across the nation live in off-campus occupancies; and

WHEREAS, A number of fatal fires have occurred in buildings where the fire safety systems have been compromised or disabled by the occupants; and

WHEREAS, It is recognized that automatic fire alarm systems provide the necessary early warning to occupants and the fire department of a fire so that appropriate action can be taken; and

WHEREAS, It is recognized that 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; and

WHEREAS, Many students are living in off-campus occupancies, Greek housing, and residence halls that are not adequately protected with automatic fire sprinkler systems and automatic fire alarm systems; and

WHEREAS, It is recognized that fire safety education is an effective method of reducing the occurrence of fires and reducing the resulting loss of life and property damage; and

WHEREAS, Students are not routinely receiving effective fire safety education throughout their entire college career; and

WHEREAS, It is vital to educate the future generation about the importance of fire safety behavior so that these behaviors can help to ensure their safety during their college years and beyond; and

WHEREAS, By developing a generation of fire-safe adults, future loss of life from fires can be significantly reduced; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, THE SENATE CONCURRING HEREIN, that we name the month of September as "Campus Fire Safety Month"; and be it further

RESOLVED, That administrators and municipalities across the State are encouraged to provide educational programs to all students during September and throughout the school year; and be it further

RESOLVED, That administrators and municipalities are encouraged to evaluate the level of fire safety being provided in both on- and off-campus student housing and take the necessary steps 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.