Fire safety legislation sponsored by Assembly Democrats John Wisniewski, Jerry Green and Mila Jasey to require the installation of a fire suppression system in new single and two-family homes was approved Monday by the General Assembly.
“This is a simple, commonsense step that will quite simply save lives and property,” said Deputy Speaker Wisniewski (D-Middlesex). “We know these suppression systems are effective, so there’s really no reason why they shouldn’t be as commonplace in new construction as windows and doors.”
“Ensuring public safety is among our top priorities, and this would be an important step toward ensuring fire safety in new construction,” said Speaker Pro Tempore Green (D-Union/Middlesex/Somerset). “A change like this can go a long way toward saving lives of residents and firefighters, and that’s always a good thing.”
“Protecting lives is a priority,” said Jasey (D-Essex/Morris). “Making these fire suppression systems routine is quite simply the right thing to do for both our residents and firefighters.”
The bill, named the “New Home Fire Safety Act”, requires the installation of a fire suppression system in new single and two-family homes. Under the bill, a certificate of occupancy would not be issued for a new home until the state or local code enforcement agency determines that the home is equipped with a fire suppression system that conforms to State Uniform Construction Code systems promulgated by the Commissioner of Community Affairs.
The bill would exempt manufactured homes and single and two-family homes that are not connected to public water systems.
The bill permits municipalities and the Commissioner of Community Affairs to each establish a fee that covers the cost of inspection and the issuance of a certificate of occupancy.
The bill was approved 44-30 by the Assembly and now awaits further consideration by the Senate. TLS.
so who is paying for it ?
if it goes off by mistake and soaks the house will inurance cover that ???
the builder pays for it. It does not cost that much. Ask the fire department how often they go off when they are not supposed to, they’ll tell you when people use them for clothing hangers or hit them with something. The fire hose soaks your house more once you let the fire get bigger because you did not have a fire sprinkler. Fire sprinklers = about 10 gallons a minute. The smallest fire hose = about 60 gallons per minute. The bigger hose, 175+ gal a minute. Smoke and CO alarms cost money too, maybe you want to get rid of them.
what about for those of us living in tents? Will new tent construction also require them?
This will add thousands of dollars to the cost of a new house.
When you “shut down” the house for a 4 month trip to Florida you will not be able to drain the sprinklers and they will freeze. Who will pay for those repairs?
keep the heat on minimum and you would not have to pay for repairs.
As usual, this was not thought out very well. Fires in new construction are rare, provided that there is a Certificate of Occupancy awarded prior to occupancy.
The problem appears to be that older, poorly maintained, rentals are the problem. Slumlords should be required to keep their tenants as safe as is possible, with fire alarms, and fire suppression equipment.
I will add several thousand dollars to the price of a new house . Just what the housing market needed
The most important point.
“The bill permits municipalities and the Commissioner of Community Affairs to each establish a fee that covers the cost of inspection and the issuance of a certificate of occupancy.”
would rather be safe than sorry..its becoming more and more of an issue with fires during the colder weather. If you can get them installed..GET THEM
This. Is no different from having air bags in a car. I dont hear anyone complaining about cars costing more or people getting injured from air bag deployment.
I think its a good move anything that will save lives is worth the cost and in this case its not that much, Now if only lakewood would go after the slumlords and not worry about being reelected and just do the right thing and yes just put them out of business ,they are jepordizing peoples lives and to add insult to injury are profiting from it
for those of you complaining about this bill . ask the parents of the little boy that just died in the fire if they think it is a good bill. if you dont reach them ask the 12 ear old daughter that lost her father to a house fire in lakewood in december!!!!!!! you cannot put a value on your childrens lives
besides the discount you will recieve from the insurance company for having the sprinklers will cover the cost in about 5 years.
Bill, as a fighter fighter in this town I’ve seen brand new homes, condos, and apartments burn. Carelessness and stupidity aren’t limited to the type of or age of your dwelling. People complaining the most are the typical Lakewood slumlords who don’t want to spend a dime on any repairs or improvements.
The reasoning for the law is halfway right
1. Sprinkler systems do not save property it’s there to save lives
2. What’s if the house is made of non combustible materials?
3. The water mains throughout NJ will have to be upgraded significantly in order to have the proper PSI if not then all new homes will need storage tanks and pumps which cost an easy $15,000.00 per house above the cost for the regular system
4. No one will want a dry system (it’s double the price) so in the second floor you will have wall mounted heads which are more prone to damage
5. The FDC (Fire Department Connection) will have to be accessible with a horn and strobe min. 80″ off the floor on top of the FDC
6. This will limit New Single Family Homes to be built (due to all the cost which entails in covering all the nooks and crannies) which in turn will cause people to move to older homes and renovate them or find loopholes elsewhere.
Mr. Hobday, it is not the age of the construction that causes the buildings to burn, it is the contents. You can have a fire proof building of concrete and steel, but when you put furniture, appliances and people in it you can have a fire. Fans, heaters, lights, ovens and stoves, cigarettes, fireplaces, kids playing with fire have all started fires. Whoever is worried about the pipes freezing, you can leave your heat on at a low temperature, or drain the pipes, the same pipes that feed your sink and toilet, because those are the pipes that feed the sprinkler system.
number 15 your number are crazy.. cost is 3-5000 total.. keep complaining as i said as the mother of the 6 year old that dies if she wants a system ??? again.. what are your childrens lifes worth people
A simple system is $4,000-$7,000 yet if you read what I wrote which is an additional storage tank and pump will cost close to $15,000 it has nothing to do with childrens lives the majority of people will not buy a house if the cost will increase!!
It would be absurd to throw the children conscious around to make a point!!!!
there is also a monthly water conection fee for sprinkler lines of approx $50 a month that lines the pockets of the Water co. We need not to approve this shtick.
safety is not priceless, we must weigh cost and difficulty when choosing how to live. should everyone drive a volvo which is the safest in a crash to protect your children. or maybe build a brick fireproof house like a comercial building. by the way how many exits do you have from your second floor, and what if the stairs are on fire should we regulate fire exits in homes.
the truth is if you want it and you can afford it, go right ahead and do it. but we don’t need laws to force us how to live our lives.
read anywhere where they talk about sprinklers the purpose is mainly to save structures not lives soon your gonna have to have a wheelchair access bathroom, elevators, fire alarm systems, video cameras, signs to wash your hands these things also can save a life! insane!!!