(Pocatello for Accountable Government Entities, June 20, 2023)
To be fully transparent with the public involves a commitment to honesty and integrity even in difficult situations. Complying with statutory public record laws is the minimum required. Making pertinent information readily known to the public as a whole is a higher, more ethical standard. Do you think that standard has been met?
Per public record requests (PRR) obtained from the:
- Pocatello-Chubbuck School District: Various invoices/payments
- City of Pocatello Fire Department – PFD: Fire Investigation Report & 11/28/22 HHS Annual Fire Inspection Report
- Idaho State Fire Marshal: Investigation Report
The public needs to be aware that:
- HHS failed its annual fire inspection on 11/28/22. (No follow-up inspection was conducted.)
- Among other noted deficiencies in this 11/28/23 inspection report were:
A. “Fire alarm panel in trouble mode. Needs to be serviced ASAP.”
B. “Inspector Notes: Stage curtains in the lunchroom do not have a fire rated tag. Curtains must be fire rated for use.” - The fire alarm system failed and was inoperative at the time of the fire (sprinklers in adjoining areas DID activate).
- The fire grew rapidly and spread for at least 43 minutes before detection (The detection was due to a police officer and school district employee responding to a burglar alarm.)
- The school’s fire doors did not close or “activate as designed” contrary to School District claims in an ISJ article. They were manually closed by firefighters.
- For the period between 11/28/22 and 04/21/23, there are only two (2) invoices/statements for all fire alarm/suppression related services provided to HHS. One, a $375 invoice dated 02/15/23 with the description: “Installed new sprinkler head. Inspected piping for more freezing issues.”. The other $105 invoice dated 02/27/23 with the description: Fire Drill at 1:55 p.m. and gates shutting automatic . . . we determined that the drop down door control board needs to be looked at by a certified door company.”
- The stage curtains were identified as the probable first fuel ignited which spread the fire ” . . .vertically into the roof truss area and horizontally through the fire doors not maintained.”
- Access and distance to hydrants and lack of pressure and volume delayed fire suppression activities. Note: The water department was able to boost water pressure so that suppression could resume.
For detailed EXCERPTS and access to the public records sources, please visit our webpage at: https://www.pagefiles.org/sd25
