Essex Fire Chief calls for local safety codes at Housing Commission meeting
Essex Fire Chief Charles Cole explains the need for a new engine which will replace his department’s old truck in 2019.
Photograph by Mike Nosek/Staff Writer
Concerns about Essex’s lack of local fire and life safety codes were raised by Essex town fire chief Charles Cole during a Feb. 2 Housing Commission meeting.
While Vermont operates under National Fire Protection Association codes, Cole argues that those aren’t enough for preventative safety. He hopes that adopting local safety codes will encourage the dedication of resources towards preventative measures.
“For a community of our size, it is atypical that we don’t have local safety codes,” Essex Fire Chief Charles Cole said.
Instating local safety codes becomes more important as Essex continues to develop, Cole said.
“We have one inspector for Chittenden county. They don’t have the time to go around and do pre-emptive inspections,” Cole said.
A lack of time and assets to dedicate towards enforcing state codes can cause violations to slip through the cracks, Cole said.
“We’re now seeing issues at some of our elderly senior homes where they’re not following through on required annual inspections of life safety equipment. There are other apartment buildings in Essex town where people have been living in substandard conditions for years,” Cole said.
Cole provided several examples of surrounding towns with local safety codes.
“The town of Colchester does. The city of Burlington, city of South Burlington, the city of Rutland. Pretty much the larger communities in Vermont all have local life safety codes and they have people that can go around and inspect them and enforce them,” Cole said.
Chris Gaboriault, Chief of the Village Fire Department, also attended the meeting. According to him, the Village has different needs.
“We’re kind of in a different position. Most of the Village here is fully developed. It all depends on how we evolve moving forward as we become two separate communities. So if we were separated, would the village pursue that (local safety codes)? Probably not,” Gaboriault said.
The commission meeting concluded by adding further discussion to their agenda.
“What I’d love to do is put this on our next full commission meeting agenda for us to kind of discuss a little bit further — the process and the information that you’ve shared today. Once we do that I’d be happy to get back to you,” chair Katie Ballard said.
Original story can found at the Essex Reporter.
