The Ontario Fire Marshal’s office has implemented a new policy requiring local fire departments across the province to channel more resources into fire prevention.
This means stricter inspections of high-risk properties, including those with high occupancy or vulnerable occupants, commercial cooking equipment and chemical storage.
New standards
To meet these new standards, the township is required to hire a Fire Prevention Officer to conduct and enforce the new provisions at a cost of $12,000 per year.
Because only a handful of businesses in the township would require the mandated inspections, council put forward a motion to have current Fire Chief Rick Richardson enroll in the training courses required.
If the new regulations are implemented before the courses are completed, a fire prevention officer from another jurisdiction would complete the assessments.
The report on the matter will be reviewed and modified before the next council meeting, when a final decision will be made.
