The Cottleville Community Fire Protection District has implemented a Self Conducted Fire Safety Evaluation (SCFSE) for certain businesses within the District. This program provides an opportunity for the Cottleville Fire District and the Business Community to work together in providing a higher level fire and life safety.
Goals:
The primary focus of this program is to provide fire and life safety inspections to the lower hazard businesses within the District, while keeping business disruptions to a minimum.
History:
Our fire area covers over 38 square miles, with a daytime population approaching 100,000 people within the District. With over 2,300 businesses located within the District, it takes two full time inspectors to accomplish the inspections on high hazard occupancies alone.
Objectives:
Although the targeted businesses are classified as low-hazard occupancies, the Fire District believes it is important to provide these businesses with appropriate information regarding the Fire Code and safety issues. In addition, the Fire Department believes that these businesses need to meet a reasonable level of fire and life safety standards for the benefit of the entire community. The self-inspection program will accomplish this, as well as help to control operational costs for the District, while providing better service to the community.
The Program:
The SCFSE is a fairly simple concept. An email is sent to each business the qualifies, explaining the program and contains a link to a self-inspection form to be completed by the business owner. This self-inspection form will verify the inspection was completed along with providing other pertinent information to the Fire District.
Businesses are requested to respond within 3 weeks. After 3 weeks have passed, those businesses that have not responded will be placed on the on-site inspection list, tagged for physical inspections by the Fire District. All targeted businesses will also be given the opportunity to request an on-site inspection if they choose not to participate in the self-inspection program.
Targets:
The SCFSE program will target businesses that are statistically at a lower risk for fire. These include smaller occupancies of types Mercantile, Business, and Storage (examples include small offices, mercantile, hair salons, law offices, florist shops, etc.) In addition to periodic on-site inspections, the fire department can maintain a reasonable level of fire and life safety.
Continuation:
For the SCFSE program to be successful there must be a commitment on the part of Fire District, and the business community for this project to be continued and be implemented on a yearly basis. This program is designed to provide a long range solution to a much-needed service to the community. This best ensures continuity of our highest level of service to be provided to the business community, and to our citizens.
This program meets basic goals common to both the fire district and the owner/manager. These goals include maintaining a reasonable level of fire and life safety while providing a minimum of business disruption. It also allows us to focus our inspection efforts on businesses or occupancies that pose a greater risk with regard to fire and life safety.
If you have any questions, comments for improvement, or if we can provide you with assistance regarding any part of this program, please feel free to contact the Fire District at 636-447-6655 ext. 8708.