Regular fire code inspections by the Yakima Fire Department (YFD) are proving beneficial.
An apartment building fire earlier this month, for example, was limited to just one room in one apartment thanks to quick action by YFD firefighters and the fact that smoke alarms and other safety features had been recently updated to meet City fire codes following an inspection.
“Life safety and property protection are the main focus for Yakima Fire Department’s Fire Code Inspection Program,” said Yakima Fire Chief Aaron Markham. “Through regular, fair and consistent inspections we are able to enhance the safety of the public, as well as provide a level of public education that we hope can be applied on a regular basis.”
All commercial occupancies, as well as residential occupancies that are 3-plex or larger, are inspected within the City of Yakima limits.
Since 2014, more than 1,000 individual hazards have been identified and resolved due to YFD’s fire code inspection program.
“The hazards, had they continued unabated, could have negatively impacted the operation of fire protection systems,” said Markham. “Instead, resolving those issues provided an immediate and positive impact on the safety of lives and property in our community.”
“This also aids emergency responders,” Markham said. “Their operations are more efficient and they arrive at scenes that are safer due to fire protection systems keeping the fire in check until the fire department arrives on scene to ensure it is completely extinguished.”
Click https://yakimafire.com/ for more information about YFD.