PRINTER'S NO. 362
No. 39 Session of 1997
INTRODUCED BY RAMOS, YOUNGBLOOD, FLICK, WALKO, BEBKO-JONES,
MELIO, ROONEY, PESCI, ITKIN, LAUGHLIN, STURLA, STABACK,
WOGAN, PETRARCA, LUCYK, HENNESSEY, E. Z. TAYLOR, BROWNE,
LEDERER, TRELLO, TIGUE, BELARDI, STERN, L. I. COHEN AND
TRICH, FEBRUARY 10, 1997
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON RULES, FEBRUARY 10, 1997
A RESOLUTION
1 Directing the Committee on Urban Affairs of the House of
2 Representatives to investigate fires in the cities of this
3 Commonwealth and to report on ways successful fire prevention
4 efforts can be encouraged by the Commonwealth.
5 WHEREAS, Removing the threat of fire to families and citizens
6 in urban areas throughout this Commonwealth is a top priority in
7 Pennsylvania; and
8 WHEREAS, In Philadelphia alone, fires took the lives of 77
9 persons in 1994 and 1,047 persons from 1984 to 1994; and
10 WHEREAS, House fires are the leading cause of injury and
11 death to children 14 years of age or younger, causing more
12 deaths than motor vehicle accidents, drownings, suffocation,
13 falls and poisonings; and
14 WHEREAS, Twenty-six senior citizens were the victims of fires
15 in Philadelphia in 1994; and
16 WHEREAS, Smoke detectors were present in only 28 homes in
17 Philadelphia where fire victims perished; and
1 WHEREAS, Careless use of smoking materials, children playing
2 with matches and fires caused by electrical wiring and equipment
3 are among the leading causes of accidental fires that have
4 claimed the lives of urban residents; and
5 WHEREAS, The reduction of fires and fire-related casualties
6 in the cities of this Commonwealth can be accomplished only
7 through the encouragement of education and prevention efforts by
8 government officials, community and business leaders and the
9 citizenry; therefore be it
10 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives direct the
11 Committee on Urban Affairs to conduct hearings, obtain testimony
12 and generally inquire into the issue of how the Commonwealth can
13 assist fire prevention and education efforts in cities
14 throughout this Commonwealth; and be it further
15 RESOLVED, That the committee investigate the average response
16 time to fires by city fire departments and determine which
17 neighborhoods suffer the highest number of fires; and be it
18 further
19 RESOLVED, That the committee investigate ways response times
20 by fire departments can be improved and ways the main causes of
21 fires, including careless use of smoking materials, children
22 playing with matches and faulty wiring and equipment, can best
23 be prevented; and be it further
24 RESOLVED, That the committee identify successful fire safety
25 and prevention programs instituted by cities and community
26 organizations and determine how the Commonwealth may help
27 encourage these successful efforts and expand them to other
28 cities throughout this Commonwealth; and be it further
29 RESOLVED, That the Committee on Urban Affairs of the House of
30 Representatives report its findings and recommendations
19970H0039R0362 - 2 -
1 concerning fire prevention and safety in our cities to the full
2 House within one year following the adoption of this resolution.
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