PRESS RELEASE

Support Urged for “College Life Safety
and Fire Prevention Act”
H.R. 1409 Introduced by Rep. Fossella, R-N.Y.

Irving, Texas, April 23, 2007 –The National Burglar & Fire Alarm Association (NBFAA) is urging its members and other individuals and organizations throughout the country to support a new bill introduced by Rep.Vito Fossella, R-N.Y.

The new legislation, H.R. 1409, the "College Life Safety and Fire Prevention Act," introduced by Fossella and several co-sponsors, would establish a demonstration incentive program within the U.S. Department of Education to promote the professional installation of fire alarm detection systems, or other fire prevention technologies in qualified student housing, dormitories, and other university buildings. Co-sponsors of H.R. 1409 include Reps. Patrick Tiberi, R-Ohio, Jim Walsh, R-N.Y., Jeff Miller, R-Fla., Phil English, R-Penn., Michael Arcuri, D-N.Y., and C.A. “Dutch” Ruppersberger, D-Md., John Conyers, Jr., D-Mich., Thaddeus G. McCotter, R-Mich., and John Boozman, R-Ark.

H.R. 1409 is similar to H.R. 4460 that was introduced in the 109th Congress. Provisions of last year’s bill were contained in H.R. 609, the "College Access and Opportunity Act," which passed the House of Representatives on March 30, 2006 but died in the Senate before any action could be taken on it.
NBFAA President George Gunning said, “The members of NBFAA are committed to the fight to save lives from fire-related deaths and believe that there are two major weapons in that fight – detection and suppression. Sprinklers and smoke detection together cut a person’s risk of dying. For that reason, we will continue to support this bill and legislation that provides for greater protection of lives, our homes and businesses.”

NBFAA Executive Director Merlin Guilbeau added, “NBFAA supports and endorses this bill, and we urge everyone who is concerned with the health and safety of students and others who live and work in colleges and universities to support it as well.”

For more information about this bill and what you can do to support it, contact NBFAA's lobbyist and Director of Government Relations John Chwat, at Chwat & Company, Inc., 625 Slaters Lane, Suite 103, Alexandria, VA 22314. He may be reached by phone at (703) 684-7703 or by e-mail at Gov.Info@alarm.org.

About NBFAA

NBFAA, a non-profit 501(c) 6 trade association, is the nation's oldest and largest organization dedicated to representing, promoting, and supporting the electronic life safety, security, and systems industry. Member companies specialize in a wide spectrum of services to commercial and residential consumers, including security and fire alarms, video surveillance, access control and monitoring. In cooperation with a federation of state associations, NBFAA provides government advocacy and delivers timely information, professional development tools, products and services that members use to grow and prosper their businesses. The NBFAA may be reached at (888) 447-1689 or on the Web at www.alarm.org.

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