Action Alert! 

Joint Committee on Public Safety

June 25, 2009, 11:00 a.m.

Room B-2

SB961 - An Act to Improve Safety in High-Rise Buildings

Senator Joan Menard's bill would improve the safety of those with disabilities living in high-rise buildings by requiring that certain buildings have evacuation chairs.  Further information on bill is provided below.  You are welcome to testify on your own experiences, especially if you live in a high-rise building.  Please contact Robyn Powell at rpowell@dpcma.org for guidance with your testimony.
 
An Act to Promote Safety in Multi-story building
 
CHAPTER 148. FIRE PREVENTION shall be amended by adding Section 26J as follows:
 
 Evacuation chairs required in certain residential and commercial structures; regulation; inspections; enforcement
Section 26J. (a) Every dwelling, building or structure, including those owned or operated by the Commonwealth, occupied in whole or in part for residential, commercial or non-commercial purposes, that: (1) is over four stories in height or (2) has occupied space above the height of the tallest fire department ladder shall be equipped with approved evacuation chairs on each stair well or evacuation route.
(b) The board of fire prevention regulations shall promulgate such regulations as may be necessary to effectuate this section including, but not limited to, the type, installation, location, maintenance and inspectional requirements of evacuation chairs or evacuation equipment as the board determines appropriate.   (More....)
(e) The head of the fire department or his/her designee shall enforce this section.
 
RATIONALE
 
The Disability Policy Consortium met with many people in small groups across the Commonwealth in 2008 to discuss emergency preparedness.  One constant concern that was constantly raised by many people was the lack of planning for people who live in high rise buildings.
 
People with disabilities, particularly those in power wheelchairs, feel particularly vulnerable when they live on higher floors above the reach of fire department ladders. 
 
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has installed simple, lightweight evacuation chairs in One Ashburton Place to facilitate evacuating people from upper floors.  While certainly not a panacea, the availability of evacuation chairs and their life-saving potential can not be underestimated.