Dear Editor:
A four alarm residential fire brought temperatures to over 1,000 degree outside of a residential building in Bergen County in the early morning hours of Monday, August 26. The fire left four local firefighters and several residents hospitalized with injuries ranging from burns to smoke inhalation.
Thanks to the courageous actions of the first responders and neighbors no lives were lost. The fire which started around 4 a.m. in a bedroom on the first floor of the complex has left three families displaced and will serve as a devastating reminder of how vulnerable homes, residents and first responders truly are to the ravages of fire.
Bill A1570 passed in the New Jersey Assembly in January, and the recently introduced Senate bill S2273, would make it a requirement for all newly constructed one and two-family homes as well as condominiums and townhomes to be equipped with fire sprinklers. This legislation would help to mitigate the risk to individuals affected by the blaze including both occupants of the home and the firefighters who brave the heat at great personal risk.
I urge you to check the batteries in your smoke alarms and learn how to protect yourself, your loved ones and your community from the ravages of fire. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families who have been affected by this tragedy.
Best regards,
David Kurasz, Executive Director
New Jersey Fire Sprinkler Advisory Board