Fire exstinguishers in selfserve bays

[Jason Studer]

The Fire Marshall wants me to install fire exstinguishers in all the selfserve bays, I told her that I will be fighting this. Explaining to her that they will get stolen or some punk kids will just use them for fun. Any one have exstinguishers in your bays? Has any one fought this sort of thing. I want to have all my ducks in a row when I go deal with her and the city. I will be bringing all your comments with me when I have my meeting. Thank you for your input.

 

[pitzerwm]

I had the same thing and I just saying this is beyond stupid, they will be stolen and wasted. There is plenty of water for them to put out a fire in the bay, and statistically how many fires did they have on file for cars burning up in a SS bay, besides that where is the danger to the steel/block building or the public. I'm sure that it isn't actually in a law, its his interpretation. Get the law and read it then Go to the city attorney, usually he has a few brain cells.

 

[PaulLovesJamie]

You already have a fire extinguisher in each bay, its called high pressure rinse.

 

[PaulLovesJamie]

how many fires did they have on file for cars burning up in a SS bay...

4 or 5 years ago I had a car burn in a bay. Fire co got there quick, no damage to my building.

Funny thing - the guy claimed that the car caught on fire while he was vacuuming. He ran across the street to use a payphone to call 911, and the car somehow drove itself into the bay (and put itself into park, and turned off the ignition) where it burst into flames. Our small town cops immediately pulled out the breathalyzer.

 

[Eric H]

My fire inspector told me I had to have one on each side of the building that could be reached by running no more than 50'. I used the same reasoning as you, that they would be stolen. He insisted that it was the fire code and I need them so that he could sign my occupancy permit. I put them up, then he signed. He also agreed that he wouldn't bust my balls when they were stolen, it was just to get him to sign off.

I was really surprised that they lasted as long as they did, over a year.

 

[pitzerwm]

They also wanted one in my unattended laundromats, I asked, if your wife were in here washing and some machine caught on fire, what would be your advice to her, he said "GET OUT", I said bingo, if you don't want her using it, who would you want using it. He agreed and walked out.

 

[Greg Pack]

Hate to tell you guys this, but high pressure wands don't put out a volume sufficient enough to extinguish a decent sized fire, fuel-related fires especially. Not far from here there was a (wood roofed) carwash that got burned up when someone pulled in and tried to extinguish a car fire with the SS wand. But most likely if it is a decent sized town once the inspector signs off he won't be back. After he leaves you could keep them in your equipment room, or take one home.

 

[Jim L.]

Same here in Fl. I had to install one for my SS bays in order to get my CO. I think it lasted about 30 days before it broke out of the enclosure and ran away.

 

[wendy's wash]

At the first of each year my fire inspector checks to see if I have a fire extinguisher locked in my store room. Each year I must replace it or have to pay a co. to verfy that it will work. I must have the reciept taped to it if I buy a new one. I asked why and what good does it do for me to have one in my store room. No one can get to it as once I empty the trash and collect my trailor load of money and leave the door is locked. He said that when I was there I could use it to stop my electrical fire and I told him I would just call them. They are about 200 feet away. He got mad. I quess I am lucky that I only need one. His response was that it was just his job. My thinking is that if there were not stupid people in this world it would be boring.

 

[PaulLovesJamie]

Hate to tell you guys this, but high pressure wands don't put out a volume sufficient enough to extinguish a decent sized fire, fuel-related fires especially.

We know that... and a little hand held extinguisher wont either. Thats the point.

 

[Jason Studer]

This is just my yearly inspection, not for a c.o. There was a wash down the road that had a car fire and has been closed for almost two months so far. All concrete building. I believe this is why they want them now, after 5 1/2 years of ownership.
Like I told her if they are willing to speed the time stealing all my video cameras, what will stop them from stealing something that is just sitting in the open. Maybe I should just have a bucket of quarters sitting out and let people make there own.

 

[bigleo48]

I had a stupid inspector who wanted emergency lighting for all my SS bays in case of a power outage so that the customer could find his way out!? I told him that there are two large openings at either end of the bay for this purpose, and if he found another SS bay in the area with emergency lighting I would gladly do it. He retired the month after and that was the end of it. BTW he use to be the dog catcher and was promoted to bldg inspector...what a piece of work he was!

 

[KRCarwash]

Hate to tell you guys this, but high pressure wands don't put out a volume sufficient enough to extinguish a decent sized fire, fuel-related fires especially.

Actually you can put out quite a bit of fire with a 4 gpm 1300psi water stream. Some fire brush trucks are now being equiped with high pressure pumps for use on grass fires. Fire consists of 3 components. Fuel, Heat, and the chemical reaction. Remove only one component and the fire goes out. Also, water expands like 17000:1 when converting to steam .. and removing heat. While I've never tried putting out a car fire with a car wash, I'd bet it could be done. Most car fires arent necessarily fuel related, they generally start out electrical, then the fire spreads thru the plastics and rubbers etc.

 

[Ben's Car Wash]

The Fire Marshall wants me to install fire exstinguishers in all the selfserve bays, I told her that I will be fighting this. Explaining to her that they will get stolen or some punk kids will just use them for fun. Any one have exstinguishers in your bays? Has any one fought this sort of thing. I want to have all my ducks in a row when I go deal with her and the city. I will be bringing all your comments with me when I have my meeting. Thank you for your input.

Jason,

I have a lot of experance with Fire inspectors in my past owning Assisted Living Facilities and having MULIPLE ARGUEMENTS WITH INSPECTORS TO SAVE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS. Geting tough with them is the wrong way to handle it. There are two points here; Jurisdiction and the NFPA 101 LIFE SAFETY CODE. Here what I suggest that you do;

Order a copy of the latest NFPA 101 LIFE SAFETY CODE book from AMAZON.com. In it it will out line your commercial structure and what you are required by law to have ie: Piped sprinkler system, Chemical fire supression, how many exits, lighted exit signs, fire/smoke detectors, fire wall or construction materials. Fire inspectors are required at a MINIMUM to follow the BASIC GUIDELINES set out by NFPA 101. However they may by law or local ordenance enforece STRICTOR CODES AS THEY DEEM FIT. It becomes a mater of common sense.

Local inspectors have jusridiction to exceed the recomendation of NFPA 101! It's their a$$ on the line if someone dies in a fire and they waived a life code (see the awlful deaths in the Florida group home a few years ago were dozens were killed). She is like not going to risk her career for you over $35 fire extingusher/bay. Once you recongize her position and she is aware that you are armed with the knowledge of the law (NFPA 101 Life Safety Code) and what are the "recomendations"... she is more likely to bend to follow those. Tell her that you are willing to put up 2 with large signs on both sides of the building (mine are by the equipment room door inside and outside). BTW HP water is bad... never mention it.... water on grease or gas fires only will spread it or blow it into your face! You will need a BC or ABC extingusher in a glass case.

 

[Ben's Car Wash]

Actually you can put out quite a bit of fire with a 4 gpm 1300psi water stream. Some fire brush trucks are now being equiped with high pressure pumps for use on grass fires. Fire consists of 3 components. Fuel, Heat, and the chemical reaction. Remove only one component and the fire goes out. Also, water expands like 17000:1 when converting to steam .. and removing heat. While I've never tried putting out a car fire with a car wash, I'd bet it could be done. Most car fires arent necessarily fuel related, they generally start out electrical, then the fire spreads thru the plastics and rubbers etc.

So you suggest putting water on an electrical fire? What if the car is a hybrid?

 

[Ben's Car Wash]

Look there is a reason we have Fire inspectors.... and laws guys. ABC and BC extingushers put out CAR FIRES.... not car wash equipment. Please refrain from advising to do so.

Only one person that I an aware of can walk up to my busines right now and put a padlock on it and lock me out of it... ALL BILLS PAYED, all TAXES PAID, NO LAWS BROKEN.... the FIRE INSPECTOR! And there is NOTHING YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT. If the inspector says you need 4 fire extingushers... or they will not CO you... you will be closed down... period. They have jusrisdiction to do so under law as public servants and public safety. You can not chage that! Don't even go there with them... you will pi$$ her off big time.

Nothing is worst than a pi$$ed off fire inspector... except a FEMALE pi$$ed off Fire Inspector! She's fought a lot of people to get where she is now.... your not going to stop her complaining about 4 extingushers at a car wash and it's undue hardships! Play it smart... get the book and met her again to go over the codes on an inteligent CALM level. Remember, fire inspector are the only people I know of that can shut down ANY BUSINESS for ANY REASON they deem UNSAFE. You must be educated in their lingo.

 

[Greg Pack]

Only one person that I an aware of can walk up to my busines right now and put a padlock on it and lock me out of it... ALL BILLS PAYED, all TAXES PAID, NO LAWS BROKEN.... the FIRE INSPECTOR! And there is NOTHING YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT. If the inspector says you need 4 fire extingushers... or they will not CO you... you will be closed down... period. They have jusrisdiction to do so under law as public servants and public safety. You can not chage that! Don't even go there with them... you will pi$$ her off big time.

Nothing is worst than a pi$$ed off fire inspector... except a FEMALE pi$$ed off Fire Inspector! She's fought a lot of people to get where she is now.... your not going to stop her complaining about 4 extingushers at a car wash and it's undue hardships! Play it smart... get the book and met her again to go over the codes on an inteligent CALM level. Remember, fire inspector are the only people I know of that can shut down ANY BUSINESS for ANY REASON they deem UNSAFE. You must be educated in their lingo.

We used to have an old joke:

What's the difference betwween Jesus and a fire inspector? One just THINKS he can walk on water............


As a retired firefighter and fire inspector in a small city, I can tell you that we almost never re-visited businesses once we signed off on them unless life safety was a real issue (such as nursing homes). There was too much else for the inspectors to do. It would be in most cases easier to cheerfully comply with the request and remove them in a few days. If they come back you can say they keep getting stolen and will get another one. Whether or not this will work where you're at will depend on the size of your city, how aggressive the inspections department is , and most importantly how badly you **** the fire inspector off.