Creston Fire Rescue has undertaken a review of existing bylaws and is recommending a number of changes to update the regulations. Most contentious among the changes is a proposal to require private company inspectors and installers of fire safety equipment to be certified by a provincial body.
Deputy fire chief Michael Moore said that he has discovered that some local businesses have paid for services that have not been correctly carried out and, in one case, a fire has resulted.
“I can go into a business and check their fire extinguishers and find a tag with a date and initials, but I have no idea who the person is who did the inspection or whether they are qualified to do so,” Moore said at the March 13 town council meeting.
A new provincial certification body has been established, he said.
“The certification is not onerous and some local providers have already voluntarily been certified,” he said.
In response to Coun. Tanya Ducharme’s concerns about certification costs and the implementation of the bylaw, town manager Lou Varela said council could pass the bylaw and then create a policy that would instigate enforcement of any part over any time span it chooses.
“Enforcement could kick in after 12 or 18 months, for instance, if that is council’s wish,” she said.
The bylaw will be presented for a third reading at the next regular council meeting.
