HomeMy WebLinkAbout51725 email - FW_ Objections to the Commercial Fire Inspection ProgramALERT: BE CAUTIOUS This email originated outside the organization. Do not open attachments or click on links if you are not expecting them.
Greetings, Commissioners
I ask for your response to my email of April 22 (see below).
To date I have heard nothing from you on this matter.
Will you rescind the County’s Fire Inspection Program until my concerns are addressed?
If you won’t rescind it, will you at least put a moratorium on it until the business community has a chance to comment?
Please respond.
David Neuenschwander
142 Old Lindsay Hill Rd.
Quilcene, WA 98376
360.765.3151
From: David Neuenschwander <dnneuen@sbcglobal.net>
Sent: April 22, 2025 21:07
To: 'JeffBoCC@co.jefferson.wa.us' <JeffBoCC@co.jefferson.wa.us>
Cc: 'Phil Cecere' <PCecere@co.jefferson.wa.us>; chief@qfr2.org
Subject: Objections to the Commercial Fire Inspection Program
To the Board of County Commissioners:
Note Well: These are my own personal opinions. I do not speak for any organization with which I may be affiliated.
Recommendation
I urge the Commission to immediately rescind the County’s Commercial Fire Inspection Program until such time as the following concerns are addressed.
Objection
I strongly object to the recently enacted Commercial Fire Inspection Program for the reasons outlined below.
No Demonstrated Need
In at least one fire district in the County, there were only 10 non-residential structure fires recorded in the nineteen years between 2006 and now. And even then, some of those fires
were located in other districts and reported as mutual aid..
Between then and now that district responded to roughly 8,000 calls and those ten fires amounted to roughly 0.125% of that total.
In my opinion, the problem is simply not big enough to warrant saddling all commercial building owners with this onerous program.
No Risk Assessment
As described, the program makes no differentiation for levels of risk.
If there had been, my single family residence would not have been included in the Commercial Fire Inspection program (it was). Single family residences cannot be considered commercial
properties.
The International Building Code (IBC) has ten different occupancy classifications. And IBC 302.1 states that buildings “shall be classified in the group that the occupancy most nearly
resembles, according to the fire safety and relative hazard involved.”
An occupancy falling into the H - Hazard classification will have far higher fire safety risk than, say the M - Mercantile classification.
An A - Assembly or an E - Educational classification may not have a high risk of fire itself, but if one breaks out, one would want the occupants to be evacuated quickly and safely.
A single occupancy office building (Class B - Business) is likely to have an exceedingly low risk.
But there appears to have been no risk assessment—all commercial properties are lumped together (including my home).
No Allowance for Physical Size
The program also makes no distinction regarding square footage of occupancy.
It will take a lot less time to inspect a 400 square foot coffee stand than it will a sprawling operation like an aquaculture facility.
No Allowance for Ability to Pay
And similarly, there is no distinction regarding ability to pay. All are charged the same.
A small coffee stand operation is required to pay the same fee as an international aquaculture operation.
It hits hardest those least able to pay.
No Allowance for Varying Frequency
Different risk categories should have different inspection frequencies.
Those with higher risks should be inspected more frequently and those with low risk less frequently.
To inspect every two years is overkill for a low and medium risk occupancies.
Personal example: I operated a print shop in another jurisdiction. We used flammable solvents (Class H - Hazard). The shop was inspected just twice in 19 years. At another time and in
another jurisdiction I operated a book warehouse (Class S - Storage). It was never inspected in ten years.
Objection to Fees for In Person Inspection
Businesses should not have to pay for inspections. Inspections should be included in the taxes paid for fire service.
Personal experience: I never had to pay for a fire inspection at my print shop. Those were included in the taxes I paid.
Occupants Are Not Qualified to Self-Inspect
The program demands that occupants perform a self-inspection every other year.
But occupants are not qualified inspectors. The test for Fire Inspector I (issued by the Washington State Patrol) runs for 25 pages! A training manual costs $149.95. And continuing education
credits are required to maintain certification.
To think that an occupant could even remotely have the skills and abilities to self-inspect is ludicrous.
Even the County’s self-inspection program for septic systems requires training before an occupant can conduct a self-inspection.
Unqualified occupants should not be required to make self-inspections.
Objection to Fees for Self-Inspection
A $294 fee for self-inspection is outrageous.
To require and unqualified occupant to make a self-inspection and then require payment at the same rate as one performed by a qualified inspector is just plain wrong.
Even the County’s septic system self-inspection fee is far less than the cost of an inspection by a qualified septic inspector.
Recap
I urge the Commission to immediately rescind the County’s Commercial Fire Inspection Program until such time as program is revamped to take into account the above concerns.
Others may have different opinions. Thank you for reading mine.
David Neuenschwander
142 Old Lindsay Hill Rd.
Quilcene, WA 98376
360.765.3151
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