The Department has a new computer based data collection system which will allow the Department to collect and use information collected from businesses within the community for fire and life safety inspections, fire code permits, fire protection systems and emergency responses. To assure they have correct data, fire engine companies have been assigned within town to conduct the surveys.

Examples of questions being asked on the survey include business name, emergency (after-hours) contact names and phone numbers, property owners and property management companies. The fire crews are stopping by each business to collect the information. Attempts will be made to contact the business prior to a visit to advise the business of the upcoming visit. If a business does not have the information needed for the survey questions, the form may be left and filled out at a later date and returned to the fire department. For this process to be complete, full cooperation from all businesses is needed.

The fire crews are also doing cursory fire and life safety inspections when they visit. Business occupants will be notified of any violations of the fire code and will be given a reasonable amount of time to come into compliance with the fire code.

It is the fire department’s hope to have this survey process completed within the next eight months, as a result, business may see a fire department representative at any time over the next few months. Your cooperation is appreciated.

Please contact Gene Gantt, Deputy Fire Chief-Fire Marshal, at 746-4271 if you have any questions on this new program.