By Daniel Stefanski |
Arizona Republican legislators continue to take action to prepare their state for another dangerous fire season.
This week, the Arizona House Republicans announced the formation of the Fire Preparedness Ad Hoc Committee “to bring the Legislature to the people and assess issues related to Arizona’s readiness for catastrophic fires and insurance policy coverage across rural and urban Arizona.”
The chairman of the new committee is State Representative David Marshall, who was selected by Arizona House Speaker Steve Montenegro.
In a statement accompanying the announcement from the Arizona House Republicans, Representative Marshall said, “I’m honored that Speaker Montenegro has entrusted me to chair this committee because this issue couldn’t be more urgent for Arizona. The devastation caused by wildfires is staggering – homes lost, businesses wiped out, communities shattered. We’ve seen the warning signs in our state and the catastrophic disasters unfolding in places like California. It’s our job to make sure we are as prepared as possible to prevent and respond to these fires before they destroy previous lives and priceless property.”
Speaker Montenegro stated, “House Republicans have made public safety one of our highest priorities – whether that’s tackling violent crime, securing the border, or preparing for the next wildfire season. The people of Arizona deserve leadership that takes action, not excuses, and that’s exactly what we intend to deliver.”
Marshall added, “Firefighters do some of the toughest, most selfless work out there. They put themselves in harm’s way to save lives, homes, and entire communities. Yet, they’re often underpaid, overworked, and asked to do more with less. This committee will take a hard look at what’s needed to ensure they have the tools and support to do their jobs safely and effectively.”
The press release revealed that State Representatives John Gillette, Gail Griffin, Walter Blackman, Myron Tsosie, and Stephanie Stahl Hamilton would be added to the ad hoc committee. This panel will finalize a report and recommendations by the end of the year.
According to the information provided by House Republicans, the committee will look to do the following through the hearings this upcoming year:
- “Research and uncover any weaknesses in our current fire prevention system. Make recommendations on ways to address these areas.
- “Develop strategies to reduce nonrenewal of homeowners insurance policies across the state with an emphasis on high-risk areas.
- “Evaluate current building codes to make sure they allow for maximum fire protection without increasing costs to new home buyers.
- “Review and make recommendations on water supply needed for fire suppression.
- “Evaluate and make recommendations on current forestry practices regarding wildland fires.”
Daniel Stefanski is a reporter for AZ Free News. You can send him news tips using this link.
