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State Senator Bill Beagle
Fire Safety for
Off-Campus Housing
This week I joined State Senator Peggy Lehner (R-Kettering) and State
Representative Rick Perales (R-Beavercreek) to reintroduce legislation
aimed at protecting renters in the event of a fire. The bill requires a
separate means of egress for all dwelling areas above the second story
of a residential rental property.
When a fire breaks out, you have only moments to make a decision on how
you will escape. Every second matters and ensuring you have an escape
plan in place is critical.
I first learned of the dire need for legislation after meeting the
families of two local graduates that were students at the University of
Cincinnati. On New Year’s Day 2013, Ellen Garner and Chad Kohls were
trapped in a third floor attic bedroom when a fire started on the
second floor. The only safe exit from the room was an internal
staircase, which quickly became engulfed in smoke. The 36-foot jump
from the third story window onto the cement pavement was not a viable
escape route. Ellen and Chad were trapped and decided to try to escape
through the smoke-filled stairwell. Tragically, they passed out from
smoke inhalation before the fire department could rescue them and later
passed away at a nearby hospital.
Currently, rental homes with more than two levels are not required to
have secondary means of egress. It is common for off-campus landlords
to renovate attics or convert top floors into bedrooms, making the
inside staircase the only exit point from the upper level.
This jeopardizes the safety of both families and students. Egress
ladders offer an inexpensive option as lifesaving tools. They may be as
simple as a rope ladder or a permanently fixed steel ladder near a
window.
As many students return to campus for the beginning of a new school
year, it is crucial that we raise awareness about the importance of
having a secondary means of egress in rental homes. If you, your
son or daughter, or someone you know is currently in this situation, I
encourage you to contact the landlord and work together to secure a
safe escape plan with an egress ladder. We need to make sure our
families, neighbors, and children can get out safely in the event of a
fire.
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