Measure now heads to governor for his consideration
The Rhode Island House and Senate have approved changes to the state’s fire code that would eliminate duplicate language and extend deadlines for installing fire sprinklers in some nightclubs and other places of assembly.
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The measure, introduced in the House by Rep. Norman L. Landroche Jr., a Democrat representing West Warwick, Warwick and Coventry, and in the Senate by Sen. Joseph M. Polisena, a Johnston Democrat, has been sent to the governor for his consideration.
“As we studied the ramifications of the new laws on the community, we found that some business owners would have an extremely difficult time meeting the current deadlines for installing fire sprinklers,” said Landroche, an attorney and West Warwick firefighter who was among the first responders to the February 2003 Station nightclub fire. “This will give business owners a little breathing room while also ensuring the safety of patrons and workers.”
Polisena, a retired battalion chief from the Johnston Fire Department, added: “Business owners should not see this as a way to circumvent legislation, but rather we are extending unrealistic deadlines and giving businesses time to comply with the law so they can protect their patrons.”
The General Assembly last year made extensive changes to the state’s fire codes in the wake of The Station nightclub fire, including eliminating the “grandfathering” clause for sprinklers and adopting the National Fire Protection Association’s fire and emergency standards.
The new legislation removes public laws that were either superseded or made obsolete by the adoption of the new standards. It would also allow the Fire Safety Code Board of Appeal and Review to extend the deadline for installing fire sprinklers to nightclubs and other places of assembly that can show good cause. The deadlines could not be extended beyond July 1, 2008.
Originally, all places of assembly accommodating 300 people or more would have had to install sprinklers before July 1, 2005, and nightclubs holding between 150 to 300 people would have required sprinklers before July 1, 2006.
