Township gets another month to fix firehouse

The West Amwell Fire Company didn’t make the Sept. 19 deadline because of the expenses and problems in getting some materials, officials said.

By: Linda Seida
   WEST AMWELL — The state has given the West Amwell Fire Company until Oct. 22 to fix the violations found at its firehouse on Mt. Airy Road by a fire safety inspector this summer.
   The fire company failed to meet the previous Sept. 19 deadline because of the expense involved and the difficulty in procuring some materials, Chief Randy Hoagland has said.
   No penalties are being levied against the company at this time, according to Division of Fire Safety spokesman Chris Donnelly.
   A state inspector discovered the violations during an initial inspection July 17. She found eight maintenance violations and two retrofit violations. Mr. Donnelly said another inspection was performed Sept. 21.
   The firehouse, which is rented out as a banquet facility, needs to install a stove hood and automatic fire-suppression system over the cooking area. Also, interior surfaces need to be treated with a flame-retardant paint.
   Although The Beacon was unable to reach Chief Hoagland this week, township clerk Lora Olsen said Monday the company is trying to determine ways to trim the large expense, such as, perhaps, purchasing a used hood. The hood alone, when new, is estimated to cost between $15,000 and $20,000.
   The suppression system will add substantially to the total, although no figures were available Monday. Chief Hoagland still is trying to obtain "ballpark numbers," Ms. Olsen said.
   At a meeting of the Township Committee Sept. 20, Ms. Olsen informed officials of a request from the fire company to share the cost with the township. The committee briefly discussed the request but came to no decision.
   "We need to know how much they cost," Deputy Mayor Gary Bleacher said.
   Mayor Tom Molnar suggested asking local businesses and merchants if they would be willing to contribute.
   After the first inspection in July, the company fixed several electrical violations that cost the company about $1,300.