(photo) Sen. Crisco, Sen. Kane Seek Improved Fire Safety Policy

l to r:: Sen. Joseph Crisco (D-Woodbridge), Sen. Rob Kane (R-Watertown) and former Woodbridge resident Jeffrey Block on Feb. 3 testified in favor of legislation which would require landlords to notify tenants whether there is an operative sprinkler system in their housing units. The idea for the proposal originated from Block, whose daughter, Eva, was a student at Marist College when she tragically died in an off-campus house fire in 2012. The bill now awaits legislative action by the General Assembly’s Housing Committee.

Sen. Joseph Crisco (D-Woodbridge) and Sen. Rob Kane (R-Watertown) on Feb. 3 testified in favor of legislation which would require landlords to notify tenants whether there is an operative sprinkler system in their housing units.

The idea for the proposal originated from former Woodbridge resident Jeffrey Block, whose daughter, Eva, was a student at Marist College when she tragically died in an off-campus house fire in 2012.

“Too often we see news reports of fires in dwellings which result in the loss of life,” Sen. Crisco said. “As legislators, we must take every step we can to prevent such tragedies. Requiring that landlords notify their tenants about whether there is an operative sprinkler system in their unit is one such step.”

“In any dwelling, we can all agree that fire prevention safety and fire prevention safety methods are paramount,” Sen. Kane said. “This bill would require landlords to do something which many of us would consider to be a common sense act. Requiring this simple notification could mean the difference between life and death.”

Sens. Crisco and Kane, who are co-sponsoring the legislation, thanked Block for bringing the issue to their attention. Block currently lives in Watertown.

The bill now awaits legislative action by the General Assembly’s Housing Committee. Bill info: http://www.cga.ct.gov/2015/TOB/S/2015SB-00103-R00-SB.htm