[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 166 (Thursday, September 24, 2020)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5877-S5878]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  SENATE RESOLUTION 723--DESIGNATING SEPTEMBER 2020 AS ``CAMPUS FIRE 
                             SAFETY MONTH''

  Ms. COLLINS (for herself and Mr. Carper) submitted the following 
resolution; which was considered and agreed to:

                              S. Res. 723

       Whereas campus-related housing fires at colleges in Texas, 
     Oregon, Illinois, Pennsylvania, other States, and Washington, 
     D.C. have tragically cut the lives of several young 
     individuals short;
       Whereas, since January 2000, at least 175 individuals, 
     including students, parents, and children, have died in 
     campus-related fires;
       Whereas approximately 87 percent of those campus-related 
     fire deaths occurred in off-campus housing;
       Whereas a majority of college students in the United States 
     live in off-campus housing;
       Whereas a number of fatal fires have occurred in buildings 
     in which the occupants had compromised or deactivated fire 
     safety systems;
       Whereas automatic fire alarm systems and smoke alarms 
     provide early warning of a fire that is necessary for 
     occupants of a building and the fire department to take 
     appropriate action;
       Whereas an automatic fire sprinkler system is a highly 
     effective method of controlling or extinguishing a fire in 
     its early stages, protecting the lives of building occupants;
       Whereas many college students live in off-campus housing, a 
     fraternity or sorority

[[Page S5878]]

     house, or a residence hall that is not adequately protected 
     by an automatic fire sprinkler system, an automatic fire 
     alarm system, or an adequate smoke alarm;
       Whereas, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, college students are 
     taking more courses online and spending more time indoors, 
     thus increasing the need for fire safety and prevention 
     education;
       Whereas fire safety education is an effective method of 
     reducing the occurrence of fires and the resulting loss of 
     life and property damage;
       Whereas college students do not routinely receive effective 
     fire safety education while in college;
       Whereas educating young individuals in the United States 
     about the importance of fire safety is vital to help ensure 
     that young individuals engage in fire-safe behavior during 
     college and after college; and
       Whereas developing a generation of adults who practice fire 
     safety may significantly reduce future loss of life: Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) designates September 2020 as ``Campus Fire Safety 
     Month''; and
       (2) encourages administrators of institutions of higher 
     education and municipalities across the United States--
       (A) to provide educational programs about fire safety to 
     all students of institutions of higher education in September 
     and throughout the school year;
       (B) to evaluate the level of fire safety provided in both 
     on-campus and off-campus student housing; and
       (C) to ensure fire-safe living environments through--
       (i) fire safety education;
       (ii) the installation of fire suppression and detection 
     systems and smoke alarms; and
       (iii) the development and enforcement of applicable codes 
     relating to fire safety.

                          ____________________