Milwaukee is facing a safety concern related to fires in buildings without sprinkler systems. Alderwoman Milele A. Coggs has introduced a resolution to retrofit older buildings with modern fire suppression systems. On Thursday, she proposed a program to provide subsidies to multi-family property owners to help pay for these safety upgrades, according to the City of Milwaukee.
In a statement obtained by the City of Milwaukee, Coggs said, "In the last month alone, several people have lost their lives, and many others have been displaced, as the result of fires where the properties did not have sprinkler systems.” She called for changes to state law to address a loophole that exempts buildings constructed before 1974 from sprinkler system requirements. About 70% of Milwaukee's high-rise buildings were built before that year.
A resolution in Council file #250278 asks the State of Wisconsin and the federal government to take action on building safety in Milwaukee. Buildings over 60 feet tall have been required to have sprinkler systems since 1974, but many older buildings do not have them because they were grandfathered in. The resolution will be discussed by the Common Council’s Judiciary and Legislation Committee at a future date. It aims to improve safety measures for these older buildings, as reported by the City of Milwaukee.
