By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
Several months after a fire at a downtown icon, the Corner Grill is still closed. A new focus of the Bowling Green Fire Division will be aimed at preventing fires like this – instead of just being ready to extinguish them once they begin.
Bowling Green Fire Chief Tom Sanderson has adopted a community risk reduction program that puts the emphasis on fire prevention – not just fire suppression.
For years, the fire division has instructed school children how to be safe from fire. They have been drilled on the “stop, drop and roll” technique and other fire safety steps.
But the basic education stopped there. Sanderson would like to expand that fire prevention programming to local businesses.
Sanderson explained the program Saturday during a strategic planning meeting for Bowling Green City Council. The fire prevention efforts will focus on three Es:
- The fire division will look at businesses’ water supplies, alarms, fire suppression and access.
- Business owners will be talked with about fire prevention and firefighter safety.
- Sanderson said business owners should not fear fire inspections, which will focus on education first. However, “if education doesn’t do the trick,” then enforcement will be the next step.
Sanderson said he hopes to post a top 10 list on the city’s website of fire hazards, such as use of multiple extension cords or having items piled to the ceiling. The chief also want to work with off-campus student housing groups to make them aware of fire risks.
Unlike other cities, such as Perrysburg, Bowling Green has no full-time fire inspectors. Sanderson said inspectors could make visits to local businesses to look for dangerous conditions.
“I think it’s going to reduce the risks to the businesses,” he said.
Sanderson stressed that the inspections would be “business friendly,” with the emphasis on protecting the buildings, not issuing orders. Such a program may have helped prevent last year’s fire at the Corner Grill, the chief said.
The “vast majority” of the city’s firefighters are certified as state fire inspectors. To staff an inspection program, the chief said an additional one or two people would need to be hired.
Sanderson said the fire division would still be prepared to extinguish fires that do occur.
“You can have the most robust fire prevention program, but you still need to be ready to put one out,” he said.
