OAKLAND, Calif., Dec. 3, 2016 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/
-- Oakland, California
experienced a tragic fire that has resulted in multiple fatalities.
Early reports indicate that a music party was taking place in a
multi-use warehouse type building. The fire chief confirmed that
the building did not have fire sprinklers.
"It saddens us to see more tragedies in these high-risk
occupancies that need fire sprinklers," said NFSA President
Shane Ray. "Our thoughts and prayers
are with all of those affected in this tragedy in Oakland. We pledge our continued support for
the Fire Sprinkler Incentive Act, which provides business owners an
incentive to retrofit with fire sprinklers – the one technology
that could extinguish the fire."
While all the details will be forthcoming in the days to come,
as the California Office of State Fire Marshal (OSFM) team, along
with other agencies, works the incident, many advocates are already
calling for help from policy makers.
"These tragedies do not have to happen," said Rob Feeney, a survivor of the 2003 Station
Nightclub Fire. "Enough is enough, it's time to pass the Fire
Sprinkler Incentive Act. How many people have to die before we wake
up and do something that will keep people safe?"
The Fire Sprinkler Incentive Act (FSIA) S.2068 and
H.R. 3591 in the 114th Congress, will be filed again in
the 115th Congress. The legislation encourages
building owners to invest in life-saving fire safety upgrades,
including fire sprinklers. The FSIA strengthens tax incentives for
building owners to install fire sprinkler retrofits that can save
many lives and countless dollars in property loss from fires every
year. The FSIA reclassifies fire sprinkler retrofits as 15-year
depreciable property, allowing businesses to receive tax benefits
more quickly.
Under the current legislation, automatic sprinklers could be
treated as Section 179 property under the tax code. Section 179
allows small and medium-sized businesses to write off the full cost
of equipment purchases, up to $125,000, in a single year. While automatic fire
sprinklers are not currently classified as a Section 179 property,
passage of the legislation would allow property owners to retrofit
a large majority of high fire risk properties, such as certain off
campus housing, night clubs, nursing homes and assisted living
facilities.
The original legislation was introduced in 2004 following the
tragic nightclub fire in West Warwick,
Rhode Island that claimed 100 lives. Since then, the
legislation has been reintroduced in subsequent Congresses with
various changes made to address concerns raised by members of
Congress regarding cost estimates. The current legislation has
addressed those concerns.
"Personally, I am saddened that this could happen in
California where we have such a
solid foothold in our State regarding the use of Fire Sprinklers
and strong code enforcement for fire and life-safety," said
Bruce Lecair, NFSA Associate
Director of Field Operations who lives in California. "I feel even more committed to see
the Fire Sprinkler Incentive Act move through Congress, so we can
include retrofit of these occupancies with the addition of fire
sprinklers and an incentive for the building owners."
NFSA wants to create a more fire safe world, and works to
heighten the awareness of the importance of fire sprinkler systems
from homes to high-rise and all occupancies in between. The
Association is an inclusive organization made up of dedicated and
committed members of a progressive life-saving industry. This
industry manufactures, designs, supplies, installs, inspects, and
services the world's most effective system in saving lives and
property from uncontrolled structural fires. "There has never been
a multiple fatality fire like this in a building with properly
installed, tested and maintained fire sprinklers system," said NFSA
President Shane Ray.
For more information about the National Fire Sprinkler
Association, visit www.nfsa.org and follow us via our social media
presence on Twitter (@NFSAorg), Linked In (National Fire Sprinkler
Association), and Facebook (Natfiresprinkler).
CONTACT: Vickie
Pritchett
Phone: 615-533-0305
To view the original version on PR Newswire,
visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/national-fire-sprinkler-association-emphasizes-the-need-for-the-fire-sprinkler-incentive-act-following-tragic-oakland-ca-fire-300372510.html
SOURCE National Fire Sprinkler Association