PRINTER'S NO. 697
No. 645 Session of 2007
INTRODUCED BY LOGAN, BOSCOLA, FONTANA, TARTAGLIONE, STOUT,
COSTA, KITCHEN, O'PAKE, FERLO, STACK, RAFFERTY, MUSTO,
C. WILLIAMS, LAVALLE, KASUNIC, FUMO, RHOADES, PIPPY AND
WASHINGTON, MARCH 22, 2007
REFERRED TO VETERANS AFFAIRS AND EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS,
MARCH 22, 2007
AN ACT
1 Requiring certain departments and institutions of the
2 Commonwealth to compile and disseminate reports on their
3 records for fire safety.
4 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
5 hereby enacts as follows:
6 Section 1. Short title.
7 This act shall be known and may be cited as the State
8 Facility Fire Safety Reporting Act.
9 Section 2. Definitions.
10 The following words and phrases when used in this act shall
11 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the
12 context clearly indicates otherwise:
13 "Educational institution." Any institution that provides
14 instruction at the elementary, secondary or postsecondary
15 levels.
16 "Incapacitated person." The term shall have the same meaning
17 as in 20 Pa.C.S. Ch. 55 (relating to incapacitated persons).
1 "Nonresidential building." Any structure located on a State
2 facility that is not a residential building.
3 "Residential building." Any building of a State facility
4 that provides housing for individuals enrolled in and attending
5 or in residence at the State facility.
6 "State facility" or "facility." Any institution owned and
7 operated by the Department of Public Welfare or the State System
8 of Higher Education, any educational institution owned and
9 operated by the Department of Education or the Department of
10 Military and Veterans Affairs, and any institution owned and
11 operated by the Department of Military and Veterans Affairs.
12 "State System of Higher Education" or "SSHE." The State
13 System of Higher Education of the Commonwealth.
14 Section 3. Fire safety report.
15 (a) Preparation of reports.--Each State facility shall
16 annually collect, maintain and compile statistics regarding the
17 level of fire safety into an annual fire safety report for
18 public distribution in accordance with guidelines established by
19 the State Fire Commissioner. A State facility shall maintain the
20 annual reports and compiled statistics for a period of five
21 years.
22 (b) Contents of report.--The fire safety report shall list
23 the statistics for the immediate prior year and for the three
24 prior consecutive years. The report shall include, but not be
25 limited to, the following statistics for the State facility:
26 (1) The number of fires in residential buildings.
27 (2) The number of fires in nonresidential buildings.
28 (3) The number of fire alarms activated.
29 (4) The number of false fire alarms.
30 (5) The number of fire drills conducted.
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1 (6) The number of fire drills conducted with the
2 participation of local fire companies.
3 (7) The names and number of residential buildings and
4 residential units fitted with fire detection and suppression
5 equipment.
6 (8) The names and number of nonresidential buildings
7 adjacent to residential buildings fitted with fire detection
8 and suppression equipment.
9 (9) The number and brief description of any fire that
10 resulted in the loss of life or personal property.
11 (c) Publication of report.--Each State facility shall
12 provide a copy of the current annual fire safety report on an
13 annual basis to:
14 (1) all persons who request information for enrollment
15 or admission at a State facility or to the person's parent or
16 legal guardian, if the person is determined to be an
17 incapacitated person or has not reached the age of majority,
18 with the distribution of promotional, enrollment or admission
19 materials; or
20 (2) (i) all persons currently enrolled, admitted or in
21 residence at a State facility; or
22 (ii) a person's parent or legal guardian if the
23 person enrolled, admitted or in residence at a State
24 facility is determined to be an incapacitated person or
25 has not reached the age of majority.
26 Section 4. State Fire Commissioner.
27 (a) Guidelines.--The State Fire Commissioner shall establish
28 guidelines regarding the form and content of the fire safety
29 report within 60 days of the effective date of this act and
30 shall make such guidelines available to all State facilities
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1 through electronic means.
2 (b) Inspections.--The State Fire Commissioner may inspect
3 the reports and records of the State facility regarding the
4 collection and maintenance of fire safety statistics. The State
5 facility shall make such reports and records available to the
6 State Fire Commissioner.
7 Section 5. Auditor General.
8 The Auditor General may inspect the reports and records of
9 the State facility regarding the collection and maintenance of
10 fire safety statistics. The State facility shall make the
11 reports and records available to the Auditor General for
12 inspection.
13 Section 6. Effective date.
14 This act shall take effect in 30 days.
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