[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 29 (Thursday, February 12, 2009)]
[Senate]
[Page S2249]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   SENATE RESOLUTION 40--DESIGNATING SEPTEMBER 2009 AS ``CAMPUS FIRE 
                             SAFETY MONTH''

  Mr. LAUTENBERG (for himself, Ms. Collins, Mr. Kaufman, Mr. Sanders, 
Mr. Menendez, and Mr. Levin) submitted the following resolution; which 
was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary:

                               S. Res. 40

       Whereas, each year, States across the Nation formally 
     designate September as Campus Fire Safety Month;
       Whereas, since January 2000, at least 129 people, including 
     students, parents, and children have died in campus-related 
     fires;
       Whereas more than 80 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
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) designates September 2009 as ``Campus Fire Safety 
     Month''; and
       (2) encourages administrators of institutions of higher 
     education and municipalities across the country--
       (A) to provide educational programs to all students during 
     September and throughout the school year;
       (B) to evaluate the level of fire safety being provided in 
     both on- and off-campus student housing; and
       (C) 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.

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