2b. Fire Chief's Update
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CHANHASSEN FIRE DEPARTMENT
P.O. Box 97 · 7610 Laredo Drive · Chanhassen, MN 55317
Bus. Phone 952-227-1200 · Minnewashta Station NO.2. Phone 952-474-7094
MEMORANDUM
TO:
Todd Gerhardt, City Manager
FROM:
Roger Smallbeck - Fire Chief
Ed Coppersmith - 1 st Assistant Chief
Rick Rice - 2nd Assistant Chief
Mark Littfin - Fire Marshal
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DATE:
March 11,2010
SUBJ:
Monthly City Council Update
Fire Department Overview:
Staffing is at 37 active Firefighters and five probationary Firefighters as of March 10, 2010.
There are two Firefighters on leave. Current allocation is 45 PTE's.
Year to date there have been 124 calls for service. There were 56 calls in February, and as of
March 9th we have responded to 11 calls.
There was a commercial structure fire on March 8th. The fire caused substantial damage to the
Applebee's restaurant. The fire was in the wall and roof area ofthe dining room portion of the
restaurant. The building sprinkler system prevented the fire from destroying a much larger part
of the building. The restaurant was able to close off the damaged part of the building and open
for business on Tuesday, March 9th.
Training: Training for March is scheduled to be Emergency Vehicle Operations on March 8th,
The Art of Reading Smoke on March 15th, and SkywarnlWeather Watch on March 22nd.
Fire Marshal:
Fire Prevention: Nothing new to report on at this time.
Fire Investigations: The fire investigation from the Applebee's restaurant last Monday, March
8,2010 is still ongoing. Early indications appear it may be electrical related, and had nothing to
do with the kitchen hood exhaust system. Many restaurant fires originate with the kitchen hood
exhaust system.W e are awaiting test results from the electrical engineers findings as to what
caused the fire. During the course of the fire one fire sprinkler head operated and held the fire in
check until the Fire Department arrived. Applebee's was back in business 35 hours after the fire.
Contractors installed a temporary wall in the dining area where the fire was and installed a
temporary weather patch on the roof. The fire sprinkler system operated as designed and saved
the building, as well as the jobs of the many employees who worked there.
Fire Inspections: Inspections of new construction projects are slow at this time. There are only
a few additions or remodels happening at this time. K. Hovnanian has two multi-family dwelling
units under construction at this time. Fire sprinkler tests in these buildings should be sometime in
the next one to two months. Plans have been reviewed and construction work is taking place at
Autobahn Motorplex tenant finishes, Von Hansen's Meat Market, Dell Professional Building
tenant finish, Westwood Church expansion, and Tailors on 79th Street. Existing building
inspections are still ongoing at this time.