Teresa Miller, secretary of the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services, announced Sept. 12, 2019 in Erie that DHS officials will begin checking day care facilities -- which they regulate -- for fire prevention systems, including extinguishers and fire detectors. The announcement came about one month after five children died Aug. 11, 2019 in a day care facility on West 11th Street in Erie, Pa. Miller's news conference (shown here) was held at the Erie Bureau of Fire's South Central Fire station. In the background, from left, are: Firefighters Paul Rossman, Rich Reislund and David Hughes, all of Erie Bureau of Fire's Engine 11, fourth platoon; Erie Mayor Joe Schember; Erie Bureau of Fire chief Guy Santone.

HARRISBURG. — Pennsylvania regulators are acting to increase safety at child-care facilities about a month after five children died in a fire at an Erie day-care center.

The Human Services Department said that its Office of Child Development and Early Learning will perform fire safety checks during inspections, starting this week.

Child-care facilities will have to show they have smoke detectors on every floor and fire extinguishers in kitchens.

The agency is reviewing its fire safety policies and looking for ways to improve them.

The state is also surveying family child care providers about fire prevention and evacuation plans for children in overnight care.

Five children, ages 7 and younger, died in the Aug. 11 fire at the 24-hour Harris Family Daycare.

Brian Steighner, executive director of the Early Learning Resource Center in Franklin Township, said while there are no overnight day cares in Butler County that he knows of, his center is informing day care businesses as well as clients regarding the new regulations.

“Any new regulation that would make the day cares safe, we're in full support of,” said Steighner. “We are trying to make sure people are informed, so we can help avoid that type of tragic situation.”

Rita Gall, former owner and current administrator at Kiddie City in Butler Township, said strict precautionary measures were required by township zoning 29 years ago when she opened the day care center, which now is owned by her son.

She said the township fire marshal comes each year to inspect the facility, which has pull boxes, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and sprinklers and heat detectors in the baby room, kitchen and under the basement stairwells.

All of the building's doors automatically unlock when the alarm goes off, and the fire extinguishers are inspected each year by professionals.

“You can't be too safe,” Gall said. “Everyone thinks it's not going to happen to them.”

Mary Jo Coleman, owner of Educational Child Care Center on West Brady Street in Butler, also has a regularly inspected sprinkler system and fire extinguishers in her facility.

“I did not have to make changes,” Coleman said of the additions to fire protocol. “I already have all those.”

Eagle Staff Writer Paula Grubbs contributed to this report.