A bill to require phased-in replacement of conventional smoke alarms with tamper-resistant lithium-battery alarms in rental units, S77, IS ANTICIPATED FOR A FLOOR DEBATE IN THE HOUSE TODAY, TUESDAY, JUNE 12th.
Over the past five years, 75 children and hundreds of adults have died due to fire. Fire and flame is the fourth leading cause of death of North Carolina children ages five to nine. Furthermore, national data reveals that two-thirds of fire deaths occur in homes without an operating smoke alarm, often because the battery has been removed or is not working. The new science of tamper-resistant lithium battery alarms can help solve this problem since alarms with these batteries work for ten years and the batteries cannot be removed for other uses.
Two measures have been proposed (S77, S927) that would require landlords to phase-in tamper-resistant lithium battery units as conventional battery units are scheduled for replacement. The lithium-battery units cost about $5 more upfront, but last 10 years and the batteries never need to be replaced.
CONTACT YOUR REPRESENTATIVE THIS MORNING AND TELL HIM OR HER YOU SUPPORT S77.
This recommendation comes from the North Carolina Child Fatality Task Force. The Task Force makes evidence-based recommendations to the Governor and General Assembly to help keep children in North Carolina safe. Thanks to the Task Force's work, enacted legislation has contributed to an estimated 9,000 more children living to adulthood in North Carolina. Since about 1,600 children die each year, it is as if about five years of child death have been averted.
We also want you to be aware that, without action from the General Assembly, the NC Child Fatality Task Force is set to sunset in 2013. An amendment has been introduced in the Senate by Sen. Rouzer to sunset the CFTF in 2019 instead, and other sunset dates have been proposed.
PLEASE ENCOURAGE YOUR LEGISLATORS TO CONTINUE THEIR SUPPORT OF THE NC CHILD FATALITY TASK FORCE.
To learn more about the NC Child Fatality Task Force, click here.
