MAYOR ADAMS SIGNS EXECUTIVE ORDER STRENGTHENING FIRE SAFETY ENFORCEMENT AND OUTREACH IN WAKE OF BRONX APARTMENT FIRE

 

Executive Order to Increase Coordination Between HPD and FDNY to Identify Buildings with Large Number of Fire Safety Violations for Enhanced FDNY Inspection

 

FDNY and HPD to Launch Outreach Campaign to Educate New Yorkers on Fire Safety

 

Calls for Additional Fire Safety Legislation, Including Sensible Retrofit Sprinkler Legislation, Increased Fines for Landlords Who Falsely Report Curing Self-Closing Door Violations

 New York City Mayor Eric Adams today signed Executive Order 12 to strengthen fire safety enforcement and outreach in the aftermath of the tragic Twin Parks apartment fire in January. The executive order will increase coordination between Fire Department of New York (FDNY) and Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD) inspectors to identify safety violations earlier and increase fire safety compliance. FDNY and HPD will also launch a broad campaign to educate New Yorkers on fire safety.

 

“We must work towards equipping every New Yorker and every building in this city with the tools to avoid an unspeakable tragedy like the one we saw two months ago,” said Mayor Adams. “As we continue providing critical support for the families affected by the fire, we are working closely with Borough President Gibson, Councilmember Feliz, and our partners across and beyond government to fix this problem upstream. Today’s actions are an essential step towards the goal of preventing this kind of tragedy from ever occurring again.”

 

“Educating New Yorkers on fire safety is among the most important goals of the Fire Department — and one we take very seriously,” said FDNY Acting Commissioner Laura Kavanaugh. “These new partnerships will strengthen the work we already do and help us reach the neediest residents in all corners of the city on fire education and prevention.”

“The fire at the Twin Parks building was a devastating tragedy, and we are committed to working closely with FDNY to help prevent future tragedies,” said HPD Commissioner Adolfo Carrión Jr. “In addition to checking for self-closing doors, smoke detectors, and other critical safety items at every routine inspection, our inspectors will now also check that the Fire Safety Notice is posted on every apartment door, which provides life-saving information about what to do in the event of a fire. All New Yorkers should have a fire safety plan and contact their property owners if there are fire safety issues in their homes or file a complaint with 311 if issues are not corrected.”

 

“We are turning our pain into purpose and making sure we protect future New Yorkers,” said Bronx Borough President Vanessa L. Gibson. “Today’s executive order strengthening fire safety enforcement and outreach is a proactive step that will save lives and help ensure we do not have a repeat of what occurred in January at Twin Parks. I want to thank Mayor Adams, FDNY, and HPD, as well as our partners on the federal level and the Fire Safety Task Force, for their collaboration on this important issue. Interagency communication is key in preventing the next tragic fire from occurring in our city.”

 

“The horrific Twin Parks fire highlighted the need for stronger laws and enforcement of laws related to fire safety,” said New York City Councilmember Oswald Feliz. “We must do everything within our power to ensure another tragedy, like the one we saw at Twin Parks, never happens again — anywhere in New York City. I thank Mayor Eric Adams for taking executive action to help resolve the fire safety challenges that we face, and I look forward to working with members of the City Council to take additional action and build a system that will protect our families from future tragedies.”

“As the victims of the Twin Park Towers continue to recover, it is a clear reminder of the work that needs to be done to prevent this tragedy from ever occurring again in our community,” said New York State Assemblymember Yudelka Tapia. “Educating our residents on fire safety, while also holding landlords accountable, is vital in ensuring the safety of our families. I thank Mayor Adams for signing this executive order increasing coordination between HPD and FDNY — a necessary step to assure our residents that we will continue to fight for their safety and a betterment of quality of life for all.”

 

The city will also work with City Council to enact additional fire safety legislation, including sensible retrofit sprinkler legislation and legislation that increases fines for landlords who falsely report curing a self-closing door violation.

 

The executive order will increase coordination and information-sharing between the agencies to better enforce existing fire safety laws. The agencies will also enhance outreach efforts to educate New Yorkers on preventing fires and responding to fire emergencies. Measures include:

 

• In addition to looking for housing code violations, HPD inspectors will now look for compliance with FDNY’s requirement that the Fire Safety Notice is posted on the apartment’s entrance door. HPD will communicate information about lack of this signage to FDNY and to the owner of the building.
• HPD will provide FDNY with access to all violations issued that pertain to fire safety since January 1, 2021. FDNY will use this information to conduct more frequent inspections of buildings with a large number of violations.
• FDNY inspectors will conduct enhanced inspections for fire signage and posting violations.
• FDNY and HPD will conduct a broad, educational fire safety outreach campaign, including education related to smoke detectors, self-closing doors, and stove knob covers. Resident outreach will include information on what to do in the event of a fire, and building owners will be reminded of their legal obligations related to fire safety.
• FDNY will work with the Department of Education to conduct outreach in schools, including educating teachers, staff, and students about appropriate fire safety measures and proper evacuation procedures.