Playing with Fire: State pushes quick fix

Officials say state measures to improve fire code enforcement in Ramapo Town and the Village of Spring Valley could be in place by the end of the year.
As News 12 reported Monday, the state is hiring full-time enforcement officers to oversee the buildings departments of both municipalities in the wake of egregious shortcomings in fire safety inspections at schools. Now, officials say those officers could be in place within the next two weeks.
State Sen. David Carlucci applauded the state's move. Assemblyman Ken Zebrowski lobbied extensively for the monitors.
News 12's Playing with Fire investigation uncovered this year that nearly 70 percent of private schools in Rockland County have fire safety records that were outdated, incomplete or missing.
Yossi Gestener, an Orthodox Jewish spokesman, criticized what he called "an outsized focus" on Jewish communities by unnamed lawmakers, but also said he welcomed strong safety measures.
The Ramapo Town Board has approved state intervention at a special meeting, and Spring Valley's mayor tweeted in support of the move.