Chapter 11. Fire Protection Study Commission.
§ 3–1101. Definitions.
For the purpose of this chapter, the term:
(1) “Commission” means the District of Columbia Residential, Commercial, and Institutional Structures Fire Protection Study Commission established by § 3-1102.
(2) “Committee” means the Interdepartmental Advisory Committee established by § 3-1107.
(3) “Council” means Council of the District of Columbia.
(4) “Mayor” means the Mayor of the District of Columbia.
§ 3–1102. Established; composition; officers; term of office; quorum; residency requirements; reimbursement of expenses; meetings; funding; duration.
(a) There is established a District of Columbia Residential, Commercial, and Institutional Structures Fire Protection Study Commission to advise the Council by investigating and reporting on the feasibility of low-cost residential, commercial, and institutional sprinklers as a means of protecting the public from uncontrolled fires in residential, commercial, and institutional structures and by recommending to the Council comprehensive legislation to establish a residential, commercial, and institutional fire sprinkler program appropriate for the District of Columbia.
(b)(1) The Commission shall consist of 15 members.
(2) The members of the Commission shall be residents of the District of Columbia and shall be appointed in the following manner:
(A) One member shall be appointed by each member of the Council;
(B) One member shall be appointed by the Mayor; and
(C) The chairperson of the Council’s Committee on the Judiciary shall serve as an additional member and as chairperson of the Commission.
(3) The members of the Commission may elect from among its members other officers considered necessary.
(c) The term of the members shall be 1 year from the 1st meeting of the Commission.
(d) A majority of the members of the Commission shall constitute a quorum. A quorum of the members shall be necessary for the Commission to conduct its business.
(e) The appointment of a member shall terminate if the member becomes a resident of a jurisdiction other than the District of Columbia.
(f) Vacancies in the Commission shall be filled in the same manner as the original appointment.
(g) Members of the Commission shall serve without compensation but shall be reimbursed for all reasonable expenses associated with their service.
(h) The Commission shall meet at least once a month and shall determine the time and place of its meetings. The Council may convene meetings of the Commission at any time. Meetings of the Commission are open to the public consistent with § 1-207.42.
(i) The Commission shall annually receive funds according to the appropriations process. These funds may be applied to the costs associated with community hearings, the development of studies and other forms of community interface, and for the hiring of staff.
(j) The Commission shall cease to exist 30 days after submitting the comprehensive report referred to in § 3-1103(p).
§ 3–1103. Duties.
(a) The Commission shall investigate the issues that affect the safety of the residents of the District of Columbia and recommend legislative schemes for eliminating the hazards of fires.
(b) The Commission shall:
(1) Identify the population groups that are at higher than average risk of death or injury due to residential fires;
(2) Identify the neighborhoods where the residents suffer higher than average risk of death or injury due to fires;
(3) Identify the categories of residential buildings in which the incidence of fire occurs at a rate higher than in other residential buildings;
(4) Identify the causes of these fires; and
(5) Identify categories of buildings that should be required to install sprinkler systems.
(c) The Commission shall examine the appropriateness of the use-group classifications set forth in the Building Code approved pursuant to the Construction Codes Approval and Amendment Act of 1986.
(d) The Commission shall study the feasibility of installing the following configurations of sprinklers:
(1) Hallway and stairwell sprinklers with the extension of a single head into each adjacent room;
(2) Sprinklers throughout the building; or
(3) Other configurations as may appear feasible to the Commission.
(e) Based on the District of Columbia’s fire experience since 1978, the Commission shall make a finding of the percentage of deaths, injuries, and serious fires that would likely be prevented by each configuration of sprinklers.
(f) The Commission shall make a determination of the long-term monetary savings to the District of Columbia government which is likely to result by installing the sprinkler systems that the Commission recommends.
(g) The Commission shall ascertain the advantages and disadvantages of sprinkler systems fashioned from copper, polyvinyl chloride, and polybutylene.
(h) The Commission shall determine if the water system in high-risk residential neighborhoods of the District of Columbia is adequate to supply a residential sprinkler system directly as well as identify the percentage of homes in high-risk neighborhoods with an adequate system to supply water directly to a residential sprinkler system.
(i) The Commission shall:
(1) Identify low-cost alternatives to supplying a residential sprinkler system directly;
(2) Identify funding mechanisms for large-scale installation of residential and institutional sprinkler systems;
(3) Identify specific funding mechanisms for high-risk, low income neighborhoods and cost-containment methods for installation of the residential sprinklers; and
(4) Identify economic disincentives to the installation of residential sprinklers.
(j) The Commission shall identify what changes would have to be made in the local statutes and regulations to allow residential, commercial, and institutional applications of the systems that the Commission recommends.
(k) The Commission shall identify existing programs for youth employment, adult employment, and job training with which a program of large-scale sprinkler installation might be combined to provide multiple benefits to the residents of the District of Columbia.
(l) The Commission shall determine whether the appropriate District of Columbia government agencies have the power and capacity to carry out necessary inspections and to enforce sprinkler requirements that the Commission may recommend.
(m) The Commission shall investigate other matters appropriate for completing the comprehensive report on the feasibility of residential, commercial, and institutional sprinklers in the District of Columbia.
(n) The Commission shall identify and use the services of all concerned District of Columbia residents, businesses, government agencies, and private agencies with expertise and interest in fire protection.
(o) The Commission shall conduct community hearings to receive information related to its mission.
(p) The Commission shall submit to the Council, 1 year after the 1st meeting of the Commission, a comprehensive report setting forth its findings and recommendations.
§ 3–1104. Restriction on job training program combined with sprinkler installation program.
Any job training programs chosen to be combined with a sprinkler installation program shall perform their job training activities within the District of Columbia.
§ 3–1105. Operational space and personnel; agency cooperation.
The Mayor shall provide sufficient space for the Commission to operate and may detail personnel to assist the Commission in its work. The Mayor shall also direct all agencies contacted by the Commission to give their full cooperation.
§ 3–1106. Donations.
The Commission may receive donations and grants, either in money or in kind, intended to promote the work of the Commission and shall hold all donations and grants in trust for the designated purpose. Any deposit of funds shall be made in coordination with the D.C. Comptroller.
§ 3–1107. Interdepartmental Advisory Committee.
(a)(1) There is established an Interdepartmental Advisory Committee to assist the Commission in its work.
(2) The Committee shall consist of representatives of the following agencies:
(A) The Fire Department of the District of Columbia;
(B) The Corporation Counsel of the District of Columbia;
(C) The Department of Housing and Community Development;
(D) The Department of Employment Services;
(E) The District of Columbia Department of Finance and Revenue; and
(F) The Department of Public Works.
(b) The chairperson of the Commission shall be an ex officio member and chairperson of the Committee. The Committee, or particular segments of the Committee, shall convene when the chairperson considers necessary and appropriate, but not less than once quarterly. The meeting place of the Committee shall change periodically so that meetings are held at least once in each ward of the city during the existence of the Committee. Meetings of the Committee shall be open to the public.
(c) Each agency member of the Committee shall cooperate with the Commission to the fullest extent, shall make available to the Commission the personnel and the resources that the Commission reasonably requires, and shall provide without charge data analysis as the Commission reasonably requests within 30 days of the Commission’s request.
§ 3–1108. Notice of Commission and Committee meetings; minutes.
At least 15 days notice to the public of meetings of the Commission and the Committee shall be provided by advertising in at least 3 local newspapers, through public service announcements, and publication in the District of Columbia Register. Copies of the minutes of meetings of the Commission and the Committee shall be provided on a quarterly basis to each member of the Council and the Mayor.
