Community halls face greasy issue

By Nadine Armstrong

The Hants Journal/NovaNewsNow.com

Adhering to fire safety codes and plans could prove greasy for community halls.

Windsor and West Hants building inspector Tim Leslie was in the hot seat last week when municipal council asked him questions regarding a recently drafted sample Fire Safety Plan.

Leslie had submitted the document to council to approve as a guideline for small assembly style buildings such as community halls.

The plan provides a template to help building managers and volunteers comply with National Fire Safety Regulations, Leslie said. “When I got my hands on the copy used in Lunenburg, it made very good sense to me. This was designed to make it easier for everyone.”

The four-page draft is fairly basic and covers what most would assume to be minimal standards for any publicly occupied space. But the real issue for council went beyond the presented guidelines. In his other role, Leslie is also area fire inspector and has recently conducted 11 on-site inspections of local halls. And he has had to tell some community hall members that standard fire extinguishers may not be enough to meet National Fire Codes.

Although not directly addressed in the general Fire Safety Draft, Leslie noted, in order to comply, every small assembly building will need to install a mandatory fire-suppression system if they plan on creating grease-laden vapors in the kitchen.

In other words, should a community hall group wish to fry up a fundraising meal, they’re going to need to spend some major money first.

Bad news for hall

Ellershouse-area Coun. Tom Brown said it boiled down to bad news for his local hall. “This is a mighty big request,” he said. “Can you explain to me what we can cook that wouldn't produce fat?”

He said they often rely on fundraising breakfasts, but installing a commercial cooking hood at a cost of around $15,000 is not an option.

“We’ll have to close down any hall that cooks,” Brown said.

Municipal Warden Richard Dauphinee said the hall group in his constituency usually cooks what they can off site and only uses the kitchen to boil potatoes and vegetables.

“We need to go through with what Tim says is required,” Dauphinee acknowledged. “We want it safe for the public, but we need to keep things user friendly for the volunteers too.”

Coun. Gary Cochrane said some halls are really struggling and although they want everyone to be safe, “once the doors close on a hall they close forever.” He suggested they may have to fire up the outdoor barbecue as their only option during fundraisers.

Desperately looking for an out, Coun. Shirley Pineo asked Leslie if there were any alternatives. Apparently, however, the codes have very little wiggle room and apply not only to bacon and burgers but fried eggs, as well; even portable electric grills apply to the same measures as stovetop cooking. And should a fire ensue without the proper mechanisms in place, it could come back on council.

“It seems after a while we're asking ordinary citizens for too much,” she said. “What if we don't follow what you suggest, who’s liable? Will we have to tell the community halls to do this for the councils protection?”

Not an issue before

Coun. Anne MacDonald made the point that fire regulations were never an issue previously. “Years ago we never had to deal with any of this. I think it's going to be a matter of give and take on both parts.”

Leslie agreed that some guidelines in the safety plan such as organized fire drills aren’t going to pose a problem, but meeting fire codes is non-negotiable. “Most of these building have never been inspected by the Fire Marshal's Office,” he said. “But it's wrong for me to walk away now and do nothing.” Every small assembly building in the area -- such as churches -- will be put through the same paces now and every three years.

Leslie told council that, though the regulation does limit halls if they want to host certain functions, it’s important for members to know what’s required on a regular basis, including the basics in the safety guidelines. “This was all supposed to have been done,” Leslie said. “Now its a big eye-opener for a lot of people.”

Dauphinee moved to hold off passing the draft guidelines until councillors have had a chance to talk with hall members in their area. Council also discussed the possibility of increasing the yearly grants for community halls from $1,000 to $1,500 or $2,000 this year, owing to the fact that insurance alone for many of the hall exceeds that amount.