On February 26, 2018, the New York Fire Sprinkler Council testified at a New York City Council Joint Oversight Hearing held by the Housing & Buildings and Fire & Emergency Management committees regarding the recent residential fires that have taken place in New York City. This was the first hearing regarding fire safety held in 2018 under the direction of the two new Council committee chairs. Robert Cornegy (D) from the 36th District that encompasses portions of Bedford-Stuyvesant and northern Crown Heights is the new Chair of the City Council Housing & Buildings committee. Joseph Borelli (R), whose district covers much of Staten Island’s South Shore is the Chair of the newly created Fire & Emergency Management committee. The hearing also addressed proposed legislation that would require all stoves, when not in use, to have knob safety covers. Legislation was also introduced to require all apartment building doors to be self-closing. The NYFSC testified regarding the efficacy of fire sprinklers and urged the Council to consider legislation that would require existing residential buildings to be retrofitted with fire sprinkler systems. A full copy of The New York Fire Sprinkler testimony can be found MCA Testimony Feb 26_Fire and Housing and Buildings.