Each year, the United States records more than 8,000 school fires. Some are major, while most, thankfully, are minor. An upcoming proposal by the Illinois Fire Chiefs Association and the Illinois Fire Inspectors Association would modify an existing state law that currently bars local fire departments from conducting fire-safety inspections in public schools. This is a welcome change that will enhance the level of safety in the schools.
Under current state law, jurisdiction of Illinois public school inspections rests solely in the hands of the state board of education. This law prevents fire departments from making surprise inspections that could turn up fire-code violations. The local fire inspector or fire marshal has the power to regulate safety in a grocery store but don’t have that same authority for children in a public school.
There is no sense to a policy that restricts the most qualified members of a community from conducting safety inspections. Fire departments are called upon to fight school fires when they occur. In changing this current law, the fire service will be used in preventing them as well.
