NEW YORK STATE ASSEMBLY MEMORANDUM IN SUPPORT OF LEGISLATION submitted in accordance with Assembly Rule III, Sec 1(f)
BILL NUMBER: A8465A
SPONSOR: Brindisi TITLE OF BILL:
An act to amend the executive law, in relation to establishing installa-
tion and maintenance standards for gas station fire suppression systems
PURPOSE OR GENERAL IDEA OF BILL:
The purpose of this bill is to promote fire safety at gas stations by
ensuring the state uniform fire prevention and building code includes
installation and maintenance standards for gas station fire suppression
systems.
SUMMARY OF SPECIFIC PROVISIONS:
Section one of the bill creates standards for gas station fire
suppression systems. Such standards include requiring automatic fire
extinguishing systems using an extinguishing agent to be suitable for
petroleum fires, requires that such systems be monitored if they are at
unattended service stations, requires that the dispensing area where
liquid motor fuel is dispensed shall be provided with a dry chemical
fire extinguishing system that meets certain requirements; and requires
that such automatic fire extinguishing systems be serviced regularly.
The bill also provides that failure to comply with these requirements of
this section could result in revocation of the building's certificate of
occupancy and/or the permit to operate fueling dispensers.
Section two of the bill provides an effective date of 180 days after
enactment.
JUSTIFICATION:
New York has long led the nation when it comes to enacting commonsense
safety regulations for drivers. This notion has also been extended to
motorists filling up at their local gas station. This regulation has
been on the books in New York for decades, and has protected many New
Yorkers from serious harm. We need to ensure that this vital safety
measure continues to be the law in New York. Gas station shut offs fail
all the time, and once more, there is always residual fuel in the gas
lines of the pump that when sparked can cause a vehicle to catch fire.
Without these mandated fire suppression systems, New York motorists are
at risk of hazardous injuries.
PRIOR LEGISLATIVE HISTORY:
This is a new bill.
FISCAL IMPLICATIONS:
None.
EFFECTIVE DATE:
This act shall take effect on the one hundred-eightieth day after it
shall have become a law; provided, however, that the state fire
prevention and building code council shall take any and all actions
necessary to implement the provisions of this act on or before its
effective date.
