Enact Emergency Legislation for Compulsory Central Fire Alarms in Residential Tower Blocks

The Issue

Emergency legislation should be passed immediately requiring compulsory fitting or retrofitting of central fire alarm systems in every residential tower block within the UK.

The members of parliament that are elected to govern have, above all else, a requirement to ensure public safety.

Following the avoidable tragedy at Grenfell Tower, Theresa May has called for a Public Inquiry into the incident. This petition proposes that instead of waiting for the conclusions of said inquiry, of which there will be many, this small and necessary step can be taken immediately and potentially save many lives.

There was no central fire alarm system within Grenfell Tower.

According to The Building Regulations 2010 Fire Safety Approved Document B with regards to "British Standard - BS 5839-6:2013 - Fire Detection and Fire Alarm Systems for Buildings - Code of practice" the requirement for fire alarms does not include communal areas of blocks of flats.

I cannot stress enough the importance of this small and economically achievable improvement that can be made immediately using emergency legislation. This legislation could then be amended at a later date to include the recommendations resulting from the inquiry.

Austyn GodinoPetition Starter

Media enquiries

This petition had 243 supporters

The Issue

Emergency legislation should be passed immediately requiring compulsory fitting or retrofitting of central fire alarm systems in every residential tower block within the UK.

The members of parliament that are elected to govern have, above all else, a requirement to ensure public safety.

There was no central fire alarm system within Grenfell Tower.

Austyn GodinoPetition Starter

Media enquiries

Petition Closed

This petition had 243 supporters

The Decision Makers

Sadiq Khan,

Mayor of London

Responded

“Dear Petitioner, Thank you for the petition submitted to the Mayor about the devastating fire at Grenfell Tower in Kensington. The Mayor appreciates your concern and is clear that nothing like this terrible tragedy can ever be allowed to happen again, and that means taking every possible precaution to protect our high-rise council blocks. He has said that as Mayor, and as a Londoner, he will not rest until we get residents the answers they need and bring those responsible to justice. The Mayor has been holding the Government and local authority to account and has made strong representations on behalf of local residents. He has called for the public inquiry to report as soon as possible and for government to guarantee residents a much stronger voice. You can find out exactly what work the Mayor has been doing on Grenfell here, which should answer the questions you had for him: https://www.london.gov.uk/about-us/mayor-london/questions-mayor-about-grenfell-tower-fire. You might also find it helpful to consult the Grenfell Response website which has been set up by the Grenfell Fire Response Team to support people affected by the fire. The team includes London Councils, the Mayor of London’s Office, central government, the British Red Cross, the Metropolitan Police Service, the London Fire Brigade and voluntary groups. This page is updated three times a week and provides advice on a range of issues facing those affected: https://grenfellresponse.org.uk/. The Mayor will continue working closely with all London boroughs, the London Fire Brigade and the Government and will do everything possible to keep all Londoners safe. Thank you again for raising your concerns about the Grenfell Tower to the Mayor. Yours sincerely, Public Liaison Unit Greater London Authority”

Sadiq Khan

Mayor of London

Responded