MILWAUKEE — Milwaukee apartment buildings could soon come with a new warning label designed to ensure tenants know exactly what fire protections their building does or doesn't have.
The proposed ordinance, dubbed the "You Might Die" ordinance for its blunt approach to a serious issue, aims to make sure renters understand what fire-safety systems are in place and what's missing.
"Because people are dying," said Alderman Peter Burgelis.
The measure would require landlords of three or more units to give tenants a one-page safety disclosure showing whether their building has sprinklers and fire alarms before they sign a lease.
The proposal comes as Milwaukee continues to grapple with deadly apartment fires. Carrie Kutsugeras lost her brother-in-law in a fire just days ago and is still recovering while her sister remains hospitalized. The apartment they lived in had no sprinklers.
"You know, he was on fire, I'm on fire, I'm on fire, and I'm like, oh my God," Kutsugeras said.
WATCH: Milwaukee apartment buildings may soon require fire safety disclosure labels
She believes landlords need to do more to protect tenants.
"They gotta step up and help these people. You know, make sure that there's some safety precautions in place. I understand about sprinklers — it is quite a bit of money to come up with — but every apartment should have a fire extinguisher and smoke alarms," Kutsugeras said.
The ordinance was already in development before last weekend's fire. Burgelis emphasized the life-saving potential of sprinkler systems.
"We know that sprinklers save lives. We heard from the fire chief that had these three fires in the last couple months in Milwaukee had sprinklers, we would have fewer dead people in the community. That's why this is important," Burgelis said.
Fire Chief Aaron Lipski says while the ordinance doesn't mandate sprinklers, it gives renters the knowledge to protect themselves.
"We're in a stranglehold right now in the fire service world. We get told all the time sprinklers are too expensive, and they are expensive, but human life does have a cost that I would just automatically place as higher than whatever that cost of a sprinkler is," Lipski said.
However, the proposal faces some resistance. A property manager who spoke off-camera expressed concern that the new safety disclosure could make some renters think twice about signing a lease and that the cost of adding sprinklers might force rent increases.
The ordinance has passed committee and now heads to the full Common Council on November 23.
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