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MOU in the making to ensure building safety
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Posted on Feb 20 2001
In an increased effort to ensure safety of establishments on the island, fire officials are now undergoing a building design and structural safety orientation at the Department of Public Works.
DPW Building Safety official Donald W. Anderson disclosed a Memorandum of Understanding with the fire division is set to be signed in preparation for more collaborative programs between the two government agencies.
Mr. Anderson said officials of Department of Public Safety-fire division are currently reviewing the project proposal while rules and regulations for the project are being mapped out.
The initial phase of the project is the holding of a four-hour orientation seminar for fire division teams on building code and uniform fire code and the structural designs of establishments.
In addition, the MOU aims to ensure issuance of building permits will be largely dependent on the requirements of installation of fire hydrants and sprinklers, necessary to protect tenants and the structure itself in case of fire incidents.
Apart from on-hand information seminar, teams from the fire division are also called in during building inspections for familiarization with the specific locations of fire alarms, where to find the nearest exit and where to look for fire hydrants even before the construction begins.
“We familiarize them on actual inspection and during orientation, we teach them to read blue prints. That way they will know immediately what to look for and where,” said Mr. Anderson.
He explained the MOU will not affect any existing establishment in the Commonwealth, adding that should the program materialize before the year ends, constructions of buildings for this year and for the coming years will pass through a stricter DPW-Fire Division scrutiny.
This is the second MOU the DPW signed with a government agency in hopes to improve soundness of establishments in Northern Marianas. Last year, public works inked an MOU with the Bureau of Environmental Health to ensure that small-scale establishments passed the necessary building safety requirements. (EGA)
