Senate Bill S5909A

                                 BILL NUMBER:  S5909A

 TITLE OF BILL :

An act to amend the executive law, in relation to requiring
interconnectable smoke detecting devices to be installed in certain
residential buildings

 PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL :

The purpose of this bill is to require the installation and
replacement of non-interconnectable smoke alarms with inter
connectable smoke alarms by January 1, 2025, in certain residential
buildings

 SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS :

This bill would require that every one or two-family dwelling has an
operable interconnectable smoke detecting device installed.

This bill would also define "interconnectable smoke detecting device"
or "interconnectable smoke detecting alarm device" as a battery
operated or hard-wired smoke detecting alarm that communicates with
other such devices so that when one such device gives warnings the
other inter connectable smoke detecting alarm devices will also give
warnings
              

This act shall take effect on January 1, 2027; provided, however, that
effective immediately, the addition and/or repeal of any rule or
regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on its
effective date are authorized and directed to be made and completed on
or before such effective date

 JUSTIFICATION :

Smoke detectors/alarms have been instrumental in preventing the loss
of many lives by alerting occupants of the initial presence of smoke
thereby giving them enough time to exit the structure before the fire
consumes the dwelling. Unfortunately, in many fire situations, older
fashioned smoke detectors that detect smoke and sound off, do not have
the technology to communicate and warn other smoke detectors in the
same household or dwelling

In January 2012, Kerry Rose Fitzsimons, died in an off campus housing
fire. The Multiple dwelling unit did have smoke detectors, however,
the fire started in another section of the residence and by the time
the smoke detector in her area went off there was no time left to
escape.

Interconnectable smoke detectors communicate with each other, forming
an integrated system of protection. The Alarms can be interconnected
via wires (hardwired) or wirelessly via radio signals and can
communicate with the other detectors located throughout the residence
warning the occupants of a fire thereby saving countless future lives.
They are available now and are similarly priced with the older models.
This bill requires all residential buildings currently mandated to
have smoke detectors/alarms to install inter connectable smoke
detectors/alarms within ten years This time frame will-give the
manufacturers enough time to sell off existing stock and will outlive
the current life span of the smoke detectors currently in use.

 PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY :

None.

 FISCAL IMPLICATIONS FOR STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS :
None.

 EFFECTIVE DATE :
This act shall take effect on January 1, 2027; provided, however, that
effective immediately, the addition and/or repeal of any rule or
regulation necessary for the implementation of this act on its
effective date are authorized and directed to be made and completed on
or before such effective date.