FIRE INSPECTORS: BRIDGING THE CREDIBILITY GAP

FIRE INSPECTORS: BRIDGING THE CREDIBILITY GAP

Dave was sitting in his office at one of the city’s largest architectural firms. John, the senior partner, had just walked in and wanted to know why the new mixed-use development they were working on was running behind schedule. “The fire marshal has been busting our chops on this one. He’s insisting that we provide hose cabinets in the corridors even though the code only requires fire department hose outlets in the stairways. He also doesn’t like where we're showing the lire department connection. We’ve specified a wallmounted one, but he wants a freestanding connection. We’ve tried negotiating the requirements because they’re not called for by the code, but he won't budge. These changes are going to cost us at least S50,000 unless we can get a variance from the Board of Adjustments and Appeals." Dave’s frustration was obvious. He had seen this too often. A fire official with a high school education and 20 years of firefighting experience trying to do the job of a fire prevention specialist. “I’m sure he means well, but how are these requirements going to make the building and its occupants safer?"

“You should have seen the drawings I just received for a new office building over on Third Street. What a mess! The developer didn’t want to put sprinklers in the electrical rooms, the fire department connection was around back on the loading dock, the tire alarm control unit was in a closet in the security office....” The lieutenant was on a roll. This wasn't the first time in his 10 years as a fire inspector that a contractor had submitted drawings that should have been prepared by a registered design professional. He knew' it was common on such speculative office buildings for the developer to try to save a few bucks wherever possible, and it was disturbing to see someone show so little regard for doing the job right. He wondered why people didn't make more of an effort to get the right information before they galloped off in the wrong direction. “Why don't people use experts when they need them?” he wondered.