Fire chiefs and firefighters on Monday urged Gov. Scott Walker to require new homes to have more devices to prevent fires, saying a new electrical code being considered by his administration doesn't go far enough.
"This is a reckless disregard for safety," said Wauwatosa Fire Chief Rob Ugaste, president of the Wisconsin State Fire Chiefs Association.
A committee of experts assembled by the Department of Safety and Professional Services voted 9-1 last year to require arc-fault and ground-fault circuit interrupters in more places in new homes. The devices prevent fires and shocks. Department officials initially decided to reject those recommendations, but last week Deputy Secretary Eric Esser said no final decision had been made. The proposal is opposed by the Wisconsin Builders Association because it would add hundreds of dollars to the cost of a new home.