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[jamesinclair]

Very interesting article from Dallas.

Its a long read, so heres the summary

State law forbids 173 of Texas’ 254 counties from adopting a fire code, based on population. Within those counties:

150 have no full-time fire departments.

137 have companies that use hazardous chemicals covered by a mandatory risk-management plan.

47 have companies that use chemicals the U.S. Department of Homeland Security considers risks for terrorist or criminal misuse.

26 have industries that rank among the top 100 toxic air polluters in Texas.

An undetermined number have chemicals that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration says pose severe risks to workers and the public.

Five counties have all those risks at once: Calhoun, Fayette, Goliad, Jasper and Robertson.

The recent fertilizer explosion?

Despite fears that a fire code would force businesses to spend big sums on compliance, many problems can be fixed for little or no money, with the inspector serving as an adviser, Bliss said. Codes tend to teach more than punish.

“The application of a fire code is 95 percent educational,” Bliss said.

Bruce Johnson, director of fire-service activities for the International Code Council, said codes have been proved to save lives and property for a fraction of the cost of disasters.

In addition to those killed or hurt, the West blast may have caused $100 million in damage. The investigation cost $1 million more.

Experts have estimated that $40,000 worth of sprinklers might have prevented it.

The ammonium-nitrate fertilizer trade illustrates the point. The News checked the locations of 28 retailers and one wholesale custom blender. Each reported its stockpiles under federal law.

Some dealerships are out in the country, shielded by farms and fields. Others are in the middle of towns.

Of the 29 businesses, 17 are in cities or counties that could adopt a fire code if they chose. Only three have done so: Terrell and Corsicana, sites of El Dorado Chemical outlets; and Amarillo, where Gavilon Fertilizer operates.

The rest are in towns that haven’t adopted a code or in unincorporated parts of counties that are prohibited from adopting one.

Fire departments?

But 85 percent of the code-prohibited counties have no full-time professional fire department anywhere in the county, The News found. Only a few bigger industries have their own specially trained and equipped in-house fire brigades.

Training and gear for chemical emergencies are beyond the reach of most volunteer fire departments. In the 173 counties that cannot adopt a fire code, 21 have established local emergency-services districts, but few of those provide enough money even to cover the basics.

With a state-mandated tax cap of 10 cents per $100 in assessed property value, a $100,000 home provides an emergency-services district with no more than $100 a year.

Standard turnout gear for a volunteer firefighter can cost thousands. Many departments rely on fish-fry fundraisers and coin jars on local store counters just for essentials.

Chris Barron, executive director of the State Firemen’s and Fire Marshals’ Association of Texas, said he’s seen local volunteers thrilled to be able to buy an aging water tank truck, paint it red and put a flashing light on top.

http://www.dallasnews.com/news/west...t-of-its-counties-from-having-a-fire-code.ece


It's 2013. WTF is wrong with Texas?

 

[Sibylus]

You're just jealous of their perfectly amoral small government eagletears.jpg

 

[Stinkles]

Texas is basically privatized.

 

[squidyj]

You're just jealous of their perfectly amoral small government eagletears.jpg

that sarcasm smells like socialism, citizen, are you some sort of soviet?

 

[entremet]

In addition to those killed or hurt, the West blast may have caused $100 million in damage. The investigation cost $1 million more.

Experts have estimated that $40,000 worth of sprinklers might have prevented it.

Penny wise pound foolish indeed. So dumb.

 

[Stinkles]

To be fair, it sounds like the blast was a crime - and Austin, BBQ and the countryside are acceptable.

 

[SolKane]

Yep, most of the fire departments in this state are staffed by volunteers. Kind of a scary thought, on the other hand, the people that do this service are basically the greatest heroes I've ever known. Our house almost got swallowed by wild fires twice in 2011.

 

[The Technomancer]

jamesinclair put it well a while back:

So the big Texas explosion...

Its like exhibit 101 of a libertarian fail.

Texas hates zoning because FREEDOM...
....which leads to nursing homes being built next to dangerous industrial areas.

Texas hates big government....
....which leads to a volunteer fire department, next to a dangerous industrial area

Texas hates regulation...
....which leads to the company illegally failing to disclose they were a massive time bomb

Texas wants the few services they pay taxes for to spend as little money as possible...
....which leads school districts to locate in the cheapest possible land to "prevent waste". Cheapest land tends to be found next to dangerous industrial areas.

 

[Htown]

It's 2013. WTF is wrong with Texas?

The state constitution sucks ass.

 

[ClassyPenguin]

"small government"
"regulations hurt business"


It's been well known that Red States have some of the worst employee and environment protections.

 

[Sibylus]

that sarcasm smells like socialism, citizen, are you some sort of soviet?

Nyet! Америка хороша земля

 

[Piecake]

"small government"
"regulations hurt business"


It's been well known that Red States have some of the worst employee and environment protections.

businesses are more important than people after all

 

[CSX]

jamesinclair put it well a while back:

I recall going to summer classes in a school that was a 10 min drive from a prison. You can add that on the list lol

 

[Lkr]

jamesinclair put it well a while back:

hey that looks like my cities in sim city

 

[Dali]

This reminds me of the overwhelming strong opposition to making it a requirement that the schools in the area in OK that keeps getting leveled by tornadoes have storm shelters built into them. Paraphrasing the mayor (IIRC) people don't like being told by the government what they have to do

Spoiler

even if it's the right thing and your stubborn, backwards, ass won't do it otherwise.

That last part wasn't part of the paraphrase.

 

[perfectchaos007]

We keep re-electing Rick Perry as governer. Probably has something to do with it

 

[sk3]

Small districts tend to have less regulation, this is not a strictly Texas thing. I recently moved to a more suburban area and I miss the ability to have a fire pit or start a nice big fire on a cool summer night like I used to.

 

[jamesinclair]

Small districts tend to have less regulation, this is not a strictly Texas thing. I recently moved to a more suburban area and I miss the ability to have a fire pit or start a nice big fire on a cool summer night like I used to.

In this case, state law prohibits them from having fire codes even if they want them.

And a recent bill to give them the OPTION to have a fire code was defeated by the GOP.

 

[Femmeworth]

I love my state so, so much.