Chief, Fire Marshal Respond To Fire Codes

Bourbon Fire Chief Steve Kimker and Fire Marshal Corey Rice said the district is not going back on the the fire codes that have been adopted.

Asked to respond to comments made by Mayor Dave Lafferty during the city council’s July 20 meeting that the codes were passed “behind our backs,” both Kimker and Rice said that was untrue.

“We follow the same rules, Sunshine Laws and public meetings just as the city does,” Rice said. “I had a long phone conversation with the mayor and I thought that I explained everything to where he understood what measures the district had taken.”

Rice said he offered to explain the codes to the council members, but claims Lafferty told him it wouldn’t do him any good and that the people with the questions wouldn’t be in attendance.

“I also invited him to the board meeting and he still hasn’t attended,” Rice said. “So how important is it to him?”

Rice said he patronizes several businesses in Bourbon that have a business license and a liquor license.

“The city is doing the same they are about to us,” he said.

Rice said the fire codes should have been in place “many years ago” and Bourbon is behind most other communities.

He said the department has completed just four new business inspections and only new construction or occupancy.

“Our occupancy permit is $25,” he said.

In the future, Rice said all businesses will be inspected as a way to keep the community safer, but the funding is not available.

“We are not shutting businesses down,” he said. “The district is and has been working to make the businesses safer.”

Rice said anyone with questions is free to reach out to him to get more information.

“I am always available for questions,” he said. “The only way to get the correct information out is from me as your fire code official. If you don’t hear it from me, I would consider the source as it’s probably not true and small-town gossip.  

“I ask the community and mayor one question: Don’t you want the businesses and community to be safer for your families?”

Kimker addressed the council April 20 and asked members to adopt the codes.

“I was there in an attempt to make sure that we were all on the same page and that we were working together for public safety.

Kimker gave each member a copy of the ordinance and reviewed the process. He also invited them to attend fire board meetings, which are held the second Thursday of each month at 6 p.m.

“None of them have,” he said.

Kimker said the meeting notices are posted on the front window of the fire station with his contact information.

Kimker said he met with Lafferty and the city clerk prior to the council meeting for more than an hour to go over the ordinance and take any questions. He also said he has spoken with the mayor on multiple occasions.

“It's something we need to work together on to ensure the safety and prosperity of our citizens and businesses,” he said. “The city has ordinances and rules for the betterment of all and the fire district is no different.”

Kimker said the fire codes come down to safety.

“Fire prevention saves more lives and prevents more property damage than the best fire department response ever will,” he said. “We aren’t called until after the fire starts or someone is hurt. If we can prevent the fires from occurring nothing is lost.”

Kimker said the codes will help lower insurance services, which use several factors, including an updated fire code; a plan review and building inspection process and inspections to assist business owners to keep their property safe.

“We need help to protect our community, both from community support and involvement to keep apparatus and equipment responding in order to protect our residents and those who travel through our area,” Kimker said. “Our dedicated volunteers spend an average of 1500+ hours annually responding to calls, training, maintaining our equipment, protecting our neighbors, families, friends, and strangers for FREE.”

Kimker said he and others have responded to hundreds of fatalities, untold injuries and fires throughout his 33-year career as a firefighter and paramedic.

“I don’t understand why anyone would believe that life safety shouldn’t be the biggest concern. What I will never be able to shake is those calls where people’s lives were lost in a fire that could have been prevented and ones where they were unable to escape the fire,” he said. “Coming out of a fire unable to rescue a family member and seeing their loved one in the front yard begging for them is one of the toughest things any of us have done. I worry on every call that someone will lose their life or another one of our volunteer firefighters could be killed or injured trying to save them.”

He added that there is a responsibility to firefighters not to send them into additional danger from unsafe responses in buildings that were unsafe before the fire occurred.

Kimker reminds residents that volunteer firefighters protect them for free.

“I encourage all to attend board meetings to gather factual information about our Fire District,” he said. “And better yet fill out an application and join our group of dedicated volunteers who give selflessly of their time to protect our community.”