Panel renews fire suppression registration, citing system safety and inspection oversight

The Senate Local Government & Housing Committee approved House Bill 26-11-87 by a 6–1 vote to continue Colorado's fire suppression registration and inspection program, which registers suppression contractors, certifies inspectors and allows the Division of Fire Prevention and Control to inspect systems in places without local authority.

Sponsors and testimony: Sen. Exum, who moved the bill, described the program’s 35-plus years of administration and recounted a fire-inspection anecdote illustrating why oversight matters; he said a faulty or dummy gauge on an unconnected system justified rejecting the system during inspection. Chris Brunette, chief of the fire and life safety section with the Division of Fire Prevention and Control, urged continuation and said DORA’s sunset review recommended an 11-year extension as a reasonable mid-point between recent prior renewals.

Rationale: Sponsors emphasized that properly installed and inspected suppression systems save lives and property. Brunette described the division’s role registering installers, certifying inspectors, and ensuring systems meet standards that make sprinklers effective when they are needed.

Outcome: The committee moved the bill to Appropriations with a favorable recommendation on a 6–1 vote.