Provincetown's Venues: Ensuring their safety for all our visitors: A cooperative effort of Provincetown's businesses and local government to ensure the safety of our licensed establishments Click for some important information and ideas
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Governor’s Task Force on Building and Fire Safety issues report. Governor Mitt Romney has released the report of the Task Force on Building and Fire Safety, which he created earlier this year in the wake of the tragic fire at The Station nightclub in West Warwick, Rhode Island. Romney endorsed the panel’s findings, including the installation of sprinklers in nightclubs with an occupancy of 50 people or more. Highlights of the report include:
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Ensuring the safety of Provincetown's licensed establishments. In the wake of the terrible loss of life at The Station night club in West Warwick, Rhode Island on February 20, 2003--and given the many establishments our resort community has which attract large numbers of patrons-- it behooves us to ask whether this could happen here, and what actions we can take to assure ourselves and the public that Provincetown's licensed establishments are safe. To do this, the Town Manager Keith A. Bergman has proposed that we employ the Community-Oriented Policing problem-solving model and invite our licensees to work with public safety and other town officials so that we can all jointly say that Provincetown establishments are safe places in which to congregate-but not over the occupancy limit! Meetings were held on February 28th, March 14th and May 9th. Among the ideas discussed thus far . . .
- encourage all venues to make orientation/safety announcements at the beginning of each show. Patrons would appreciate hearing a message that says "we want you to have a good time here; but we also want you to know that we care about your safety . . so we're going to take a few moments to tell you where the exits are, tell you what the licensed capacity is of this venue," etc., etc.
- encourage all venues to conduct fire drills with their staff members, so employees would know what to do in an emergency
- have Town staff and the Fire Department provide education, training, and assistance on safety tips
- have the Chamber of Commerce and Provincetown Business Guild assist in the dissemination of information.
Read the bill recommended by the Legislature's Public Safety Committee on March 13, 2003.
| The April 7, 2003 Town Meeting approved the following articles discussed by our group: |
| STM Article 18. Accept MGL C.148,§26G. Buildings or additions; automatic suppressant or sprinkler systems. To see if the Town will vote to accept the provisions of section 26G of Chapter 148 of the General Laws to require that every building of more than 7,500 gross square feet in floor area or every addition of more than 7,500 gross square feet in floor area shall be protected throughout with an adequate system of automatic sprinklers in accordance with the provisions of the state building code; or to take any other action relative thereto. [Requested by the Town Manager] |
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Building Commissioner's report on acceptance of MGL C.148,§26G; Fire Suppression System Use Groups |
| ATM Article 14. General By-law Amendment: §11-8. Fire Protective Signaling Systems and Automatic Fire Detection Systems. To see if the Town will vote to amend the Provincetown General By-laws, Article 11, Building Regulations, by deleting Section 11-8 "Automatic-dialing mechanical protection device" and inserting in place thereof the following: 11-8 Automatic-dialing mechanical protection devices and fire protective signaling systems and automatic fire detection systems. Go to full text of proposed by-law. [Requested by the Board of Fire Engineers] |
- We should review which of our licensed establishments do not have sprinklers, and why? What is mandatory? What is discretionary-- or even voluntary-on the owner's part?
- What can be done to encourage owners to make their establishments as safe as they can be-- even if their building is "grandfathered"?
- Do any of our establishments have soundproofing or other materials that are not flame-retardant?
- What measures can the Town incorporate into its annual licensing renewal process?
- What measures can be taken to monitor compliance with occupancy permits, to avoid overcrowding? What are our training and staffing needs? What self-policing can the business community do?
- What licenses or other requirements are needed for pyrotechnics? Has such permission been sought? What are the standards for approval in Massachusetts?
| See the Building Commissioner's report on what the building and fire codes require for licensed establishments. |
Your input and participation are welcome. Thanks very much. Keith A. Bergman, Town Manager
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