An amendment to the City of Flin Flon’s Fire Prevention By-Law concerning inspection fees and smoke alarms passed first reading on Jan. 16.
The amendment to bylaw 2017-08 lays out a fee schedule for inspections ranging from $50 for a home fire and electrical safety inspection to $200 for an inspection of an apartment building. Inspections have been available in the past, but have been completed free of charge. Coun. Ken Pawlachuk, who presented the bylaw amendment during the regular meeting of council, said it’s something that is done in other municipalities.
“This has been coming for a long time,” said Pawlachuk.
“[The inspector] does commercial and residential inspections. He’s come across some houses that have some pretty faulty wiring in them.”
The amendment also spells out regulations around smoke alarms. It states that smoke alarms must be installed in each dwelling unit and each sleeping room not within a dwelling unit to conform to The National Fire Code. Smoke alarms are also required to be tested at least once each year.
Mayor Cal Huntley spoke to the importance of the amendment.
“I think given our recent history and some of the tragedy that’s surrounded it, it’s just the next step in our fire department being available to do inspections and make sure that properties are in good shape,” said Huntley.
The Flin Flon Fire Department responded to eight structure fires in 2017, including one in June that took the life of a resident and one in July that deemed the building a total loss.
