Should local authorities enforce fire codes?

Assembly member: State fire marshal doesn't have the manpower to do proper inspections

January 22, 2006

MARY AMES\Frontiersman reporter

WASILLA - Anyone wanting to hear about the benefits of the Wasilla Lakes Fire Service area taking over fire code authority may attend a meeting at the Central Mat-Su Public Safety Building at 7 p.m. Monday, according to a release from the Mat-Su Borough.

The idea is to move enforcement of fire codes from the authority of the state fire marshal to that of the local fire service area, with the rest of the borough continuing as it is now, the release said.

According to Jack Krill Jr., chief of Central Mat-Su Fire Department, there will be a half-hour PowerPoint presentation, with time for community input afterward.

&#8220I'm very supportive,” said Mat-Su Borough Assembly member Mary Kvalheim, who represents the Wasilla area. &#8220The state fire marshal doesn't have the manpower to do proper inspections. It's also going to help business and property owners by lowering their insurance costs.”

The transfer of full authority would provide more sophisticated fire prevention and response, according to Krill. Firefighters would ultimately have what's called a pre-fire plan for every commercial building, showing the building layout, potential hazards, contacts and any information important for firefighters to have quickly. As it is now, only the plans of some school buildings are readily available.

Krill told the borough assembly recently that he wished he had a pre-fire plan for Colony High during a recent bomb threat, which would have enhanced interagency response.

With local authority, all the commercial properties would get annual inspections, something Krill said isn't happening now. About 150 properties should be getting an annual fire code inspection, and in reality, only about 30 are inspected, Krill said.

&#8220It means a safer place to work and shop,” he said. &#8220The real savings is in prevention.”

Contact Mary Ames at

352-2284 or mary.ames@

frontiersman.com.