IT'S MEANT TO KEEP YOU
AND YOUR FAMILY SAFE.
THE INTERNATIONAL FIRE
CODE IS THE GO-TO MANUAL
ADDRESSING POSSIBLE
RISKS AND HAZARDS PEOPLE
FACE EVERY DAY. BUT
NEW MEXICO'S FIRE CODE
IS MORE THAN A DECADE
OLD.
NOW, A RECENT MOVE TO
UPGRADE IT HIT A
ROADBLOCK...
HOLDING UP THE ENTIRE
PROCESS. NEWS 13'S
KATHERINE MOZZONE HAS AN
IN-DEPTH LOOK.
THEY ARE THE RULES THAT
PROTECT PEOPLE AND
SAFEGUARD FIREFIGHTERS.
"This firecode affects
everyone."
"It's life safety."
PUBLIC REGULATION
COMMISSIONER - SANDY
JONES IS ONE OF FIVE WHO
HELPS ADOPT THE FIRE
CODES AND OVERSEES THE
STATE FIRE MARSHAL-- THE
ARM THAT ENFORCES IT.
THE
INTERNATIONAL FIRE CODE
IS UPDATED EVERY THREE
YEARS, AS TECHNOLOGY,
RISKS, BUILDING
MATERIALS, OCCUPANCIES
CHANGE... AND
FIREFIGHTERS LEARN FROM
PAST TRAGEDY.
That's the most
important thing is that
we stay modern and
up-to-date and protect
the lives of the people
we are charged to
protect. BUT NEW
MEXICO'S FIRE CODE IS
OUTDATED BY 15
YEARS. NOT ONLY IS IT A
SAFETY RISK, BUT
COMMISSIONER JONES SAYS
IT CAN ALSO HAMPER NEW
CONSTRUCTION.
Buildings are
constructed in
accordance with the New
Mexico building code and
the fire safety code.
So, if those conflict in
anyway, it makes it very
difficult for a person
to get a building
permitted. THE PUBLIC
REGULATION COMMISSION
AGREES NEW
MEXICO NEEDS TO ADOPT
THE 2015 FIRE CODE, BUT
SOME OF THE
PROPOSED CHANGES HAVE
COMMISSIONERS AT ODDS.
I didn't want any part
of that anti-business,
anti-job regulation that
was going to be put in
there.
I don't know that it
needed to be slowed down
for that piece. THE MOST
CONTROVERSIAL ISSUE AT
HAND --A FIRE SAFETY
SYSTEM, KNOWN AS A
DAMPER. IT'S USED TO
PREVENT A FIRE FROM
SPREADING THROUGH A
BUILDING'S VENTILATION
SYSTEM.
NATS OF DAMPER
SOME COMMISSIONERS WORRY
PROPOSED
CHANGES TO DAMPER
INSPECTIONS IN THE 2015
CODE
WILL TAKE AWAY SOME OF
FIRE OFFICIALS' DUTIES,
BUT THE DEPUTY FIRE
MARSHAL SAYS FIRE
OFFICIALS WERE ONLY
CHECKING DAMPERS
VISUALLY, THEY WEREN'T
TESTING THEM. HE SAYS
THAT SPURRED AN
AMENDMENT TO THE 2015
FIRE
CODE, WHICH WOULD PUT
INSPECTIONS IN THE HANDS
OF PRIVATE CONTRACTORS
WITH SPECIAL
CERTIFICATIONS.
It took the power away
from a regulatory agency
we regulate PROPONENTS
SAY THESE NEW
REQUIREMENTS WOULD
ENSURE
DAMPERS ARE WORKING
PROPERLY BUT IT COULD
COST
BUSINESSES OWNERS AND
GOVERNMENT AGENCIES BIG
BUCKS. SOME
COMMISSIONERS WORRY
FORCING THEM TO FORK
OVER FUNDS FOR
INSPECTIONS THAT USED TO
BE FREE-- COULD
DISCOURAGE GROWTH.
KATHERINE MOZZONE, KRQE
NEWS 13.
COMMISSIONER LYONS WANTS
TO WAIT UNTIL A NEW
STATE FIRE MARSHAL IS
SELECTED TO MOVE FORWARD
WITH THE 20-15 CODE.
WHILE JONES JUST WANTS
IT PASSED. NO WORD ON
WHEN A NEW STATE FIRE
MARSHAL COULD BE
SELECTED.
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