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Selden co-op fire sparks new law
County to require private housing communities to test, report on fire hydrants
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In the wake of a deadly fire at a Selden co-op that was exacerbated by inadequate firefighting equipment, Suffolk legislators Tuesday passed a law requiring private housing communities to regularly test their fire hydrants.
Amy Yeung, 29, died in a Feb. 2 fire at Village in the Woods, a 366-unit co-op complex in Selden. Responding firefighters had difficulty extinguishing the flames due to inconsistent fire hydrant water pressure, which officials attributed to the private community's unauthorized disconnection of booster pumps.
The county law would now require owners of private community water systems to test the operability and water pressure of their hydrants annually, according to a release from law co-sponsor Legislator Brian Beedenbender (D-Centereach). The housing communities would then be required to file the test results with the town or village fire marshals and local fire departments, and file affidavits with the county certifying that inspections were done.
The requirement closes a legal gap revealed by investigation into the Selden fire, according to Beedenbender's office. State law requires private communities to test their hydrants annually and make inspection reports available to local authorities upon request. However, New York does not mandate the reports be filed with any local municipal agency, "allowing for a gap in follow-up and the potential for hydrants to be inoperable during emergencies," stated the legislator's release.
Assuming the county executive signs the bill, the hydrant law is expected to go into effect mid-summer. If so, private communities' test result filing and certification deadline for this year will be Dec. 31.
"This new local law is aimed at making sure privately owned hydrants are operable and have enough water pressure to keep communities safe," Beedenbender stated. "This bill ensures that all parties — the fire hydrant owner, county, town or village, and fire departments — will be communicating to make sure these systems are up to par."
County Executive Steve Levy spokesman Mark Smith said Wednesday that Levy supports the measure and plans to sign the bill.
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