The Honolulu City Council failed to override the Mayor’s Veto of an important fire sprinkler bill.
The Honolulu City Council considered a veto override that would require 6 out of the 9 member votes. Bill 72, allows high-rise condominiums without fire sprinkler systems an additional 2 years to complete a life system evaluation and retrofit. Honolulu Fire Department Chief, Manuel Neves, accompanied by a half-dozen firefighters, pleaded to Councilmembers to let the veto stand.
“July 14, 2017, the day of the Marco Polo, was one of the worst days of my life. It’s that day that I had to send 120 of my firefighters into that raging fire. We had 2 ‘May-Days’ and a ‘May-Day’ is when a firefighter is either lost or they think they’re gonna die. We were lucky we didn’t have any injuries. But, sprinklers buy time and what time buys is life. So, please, I beg you, don’t override the veto.”