TESTIMONY
Jimmy Callahan on Urgent Fire Safety Reforms and Local 28's Role
2:34:49
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143 sec
Jimmy Callahan, a member of the Local 28 Sheet Metal Workers, emphasizes the critical need for fire safety reforms and underscores the vital role of Local 28.
- Testifies about the dire state of fire safety due to outdated infrastructure in old buildings and the accompanying risks.
- Highlights Local 28's involvement in retrofitting buildings and the necessity of having skilled damper technicians, as certified by various standards including ICB, ISO, and IEC.
- Argues against placing cost considerations above life safety when implementing essential safety measures.
- Stresses the potential for catastrophic consequences due to the current state of building dampers and the urgent need for legislative action to mitigate these risks.
- Emphasizes the importance of the legislation for the safety of building inhabitants and first responders, showcasing Local 28's support through its numerous certified professionals.
Jimmy Callahan
2:34:49
Good afternoon.
2:34:52
Cheers, Sanchez.
2:34:53
Thank you so much for your poignant and very comprehensive testimony to get this to get this ball rolling.
2:34:58
It was very well thought out.
2:35:02
Name is Jimmy Callahan.
2:35:03
IA number 89076.
2:35:05
I'm a 32 year member of local 28 sheet metal workers.
2:35:09
Which means I've been around.
2:35:11
We've done retrofits in the old buildings that Chief Woods was speaking about, and we do new stuff, obviously.
2:35:18
But the the oldest stuff is the big problem.
2:35:22
We've been in the buildings where we retrofit and you'd be surprised to see wooden chocks holding these dampers open.
2:35:29
Bailing wire, holding the dampers open, never to work.
2:35:33
Massive problem.
2:35:35
You hear the terms Nimi, ISO, IEC, and and FPA.
2:35:40
These are all the agencies that really put the rubber to the rope to make sure that our people are skilled.
2:35:46
You put the right people in the right positions to save lives.
2:35:51
Heard the fire department, unfortunately talk about the cost that should not be an event horizon in this specific realm.
2:35:59
This is about lives.
2:36:01
Cost is something totally separate, has to be addressed, but that's that's not where we're going.
2:36:09
When you think about the amount of buildings we have in the city, 1000 and 1000 of buildings, which translates to 100 of 1000 of dampers.
2:36:18
Which translates to catastrophic problems could happen at any time, which they have been stating.
2:36:23
We need to get in there, and we need to stop doing this immediately.
2:36:27
Our local supports 23100 active journey persons.
2:36:31
And at any given time, 4 to 500 apprentices all certified.
2:36:35
Under the ICB ISO and the IEC standards to be these damper technicians.
2:36:42
It is my belief.
2:36:43
It's our belief.
2:36:44
You know, I don't wanna rehash what the gentleman just said that this is the most important legislation we can think of.
2:36:51
Moving forward because it specifically deals with the inhabitants of the buildings, the lives of those people.
2:36:59
And our first responders have to get in there and get out if they have to.
2:37:04
Right?
2:37:05
I think that's that's pretty much it.
2:37:07
I mean, I could go on and on, but I think I'll end it there.
2:37:11
Came and handed over to Marvin.