REMARKS
Council Member Pierina Ana Sanchez introduces hearing on radiator safety and plumbing regulations
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3 min
Council Member Pierina Ana Sanchez opens the hearing by introducing two bills: Intro 925 on steam radiator inspections and Intro 429 on gas piping systems and plumbing regulations. She highlights recent tragedies related to faulty radiators and emphasizes the importance of housing safety.
- Mentions the deaths of Scylee and Ibanez Ambrose in 2016 and Benjamin Zachariah in 2024 due to radiator accidents
- Discusses the need for improved inspections and safety measures for heating systems
- Outlines the main points of Intro 429, including gas piping inspections and reestablishing the plumbing contractor license board
Pierina Ana Sanchez
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Good morning, and thank you, Sergeant.
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I am counsel member PD Nacenta's Chair of the Committee on Housing And Buildings.
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Thank you for joining us today for our hearing on intro 4 29.
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Can you hear me?
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Oh, okay.
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Bronx, we we try to we we tend to wanna be louder.
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Okay.
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Thank you for joining us today for our here on intro are hearing on intro 429 by me and intro925 by council member Lewis.
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I would like to thank all of my colleagues who are present today, council member Lewis and others who will join.
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In December 2016, an unspeakable tragedy occurred when a radiator system steam leak claimed the lives of 2 sisters in the Bronx.
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One year old, Skyly Vayo Ambrose, and two year old Ibanes Ambrose.
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At the time, the tragedy was described as a freak accident that was a of a series of coincidences.
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There was not much done to prevent such as tragedy from repeating, and now another family who will be joining us today bears the pain that resulted from this inaction.
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On the morning of January 19th this year 2024, eleven month old Benjamin Zakkaria was sleeping in his family's apartment in Brooklyn when suddenly steam erupted from a nearby radiator.
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He was found unconscious and pronounced dead after many efforts to revive him.
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Alarmingly, the Department of Housing Preservation And Development had conducted an inspection of the steam radiator in December of 2022, but found that there were no violations that was warranted despite visible decay in the form of peeling and flaking paint in the radiator.
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No parents should ever have to fear that when they lay their child to sleep, something like this could happen to them.
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It is essential that the city council continues to fight for the right of all New Yorkers to have a safe and dignified place to call home.
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To that end, today we are hearing intro 925, sponsored by council member, Farrah Lewis, in relation to requiring inspection of steam radiators in multiple dwellings.
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As we strive to green our city to meet environmental goals, this is an important question that exists.
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How safe are the systems that we trust to keep us warm in winter, keep food on our table, through our stoves, and to deliver our water.
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Additionally, to ensure that all plumbing work is conducted to the highest of standards, we will be hearing in show number 429 sponsored by me in relation to periodic inspection of gas piping systems, ordinary plumbing work, reestablishing the plumbing and fire suppression, piping contractor license board, piping systems emergency work, fire suppression piping work, and seizure.
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Years.
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In 2016, the city council, previous city council, passed 10 gas safety bills, and there has been ongoing advocacy around additional modifications needed to local law 152.
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I wanna thank the master plumbers council, local 1, the plumbers from local 1, and the plumbing foundation for your ongoing advocacy around intro 429.
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I would also like to thank my chief of staff, Sam Cardenas, my director of policy, land use, and budget, Ben Ratner, the Housing And Buildings Committee staff, Taylor Zeleny, Ossim Maloney, Jose Conde, Andrew Bourne, Dan Krupp and Rishi LOTA for your work on this on today's hearing.
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I will now turn it over to council member, Farrah Lewis, to say a few words about her bill.
