Report on Pasadena Fire Inspections Shows Mixed Results for 2019

While all 96 public- and private-school buildings in Pasadena that are required to undergo annual fire inspections got those inspections in Fiscal Year 2019 — representing a 23 percent increase from the previous inspection period — the number of mandated inspections at city hotels, motels, apartment buildings and residential-care facilities dropped by 6 percent, according to a report presented to the City Council on Monday.

Manpower issues were cited for the decline in the latter category, according to a city staff report and an oral presentation by PFD Battalion Chief Wendell Eaton during Monday’s regular council session.

However, Eaton said that all buildings in the city that are required to undergo fire inspections are on target to get those inspections.

“We don’t have the staff hours to accommodate all the inspections that need to get done [within the fiscal year], so we find ourselves at two-thirds or so [actually, 45 percent] through the list,’’ Eaton told the council.

Eaton added that “as the next calendar year picks up, we continue through that list rather than starting back to the beginning of the list that wasn’t completely finished of being inspected.’’

Specifically, the staff report said that of the 2,348 “Residential Group R” buildings in the city – encompassing hotels, motels, apartments of three units or more and other residential occupancies that contain sleeping units (including some residential care facilities) – 1,046 received their annual fire inspections in Fiscal 2019.

That’s a 45 percent compliance rate, down from Fiscal 2018’s 51 percent figure.

As for the city’s 96 “Group E” education facilities (through Grade 12), all got a look from the one PFD inspector assigned to that detail in Fiscal 2019 – a 100 percent compliance that marks a jump from Fiscal 2018’s 77 percent.

“The increase in performance is attributed to improved coordination and cooperation with school maintenance staff and a reduction in violations which would require re-inspection,’’ the report said.

However, the larger number of residences and other “Group R” buildings presented a logistical challenge.

The city staff report noted, “Residential occupancy inspections are primarily assigned to the Operations Bureau as our largest labor pool, with a small percentage assigned to the Fire Prevention Bureau. Calls for service, training, public education and other responsibilities impact available time for the Operations Bureau to complete these.’’

The staff report also said, “In an effort to increase overall performance and compliance with the state mandate, the (Fire) Department has hired one city temporary worker (one day a week) and also assigned modified duty firefighters to conduct residential fire inspections.’’

“Daily fire inspections have also been made a priority in the Operations Bureau,’’ the report went on. “Combined effort is trending to increase the department’s compliance rate of mandated inspections for FY 2020.’’

According to Eaton, “What we try and do is schedule large-assembly occupancies such as churches, such as some of the larger nightclubs, with some of the smaller inspections – that way, we can maybe accomplish one inspection in the morning and then maybe two or three in the afternoon.

“If we focus only on the large ones, then we’re going to miss several hundred other small-  and medium-size inspections,’’ he added. “Typically, a large-occupancy (building) such as a church could take as much as three to four hours for inspection.’’

Eaton also said that spot inspections sometimes get in the way of scheduled ones.

“Even though you lay down a plan, we also respond to complaint inspections every week,’’ he said. “Sometimes that takes precedence based on some concern for life safety. That takes them to the front of the queue.’’

A 2018 state law that grew out of the 2016 “Ghost Ship” fire in Oakland requires that fire departments present an annual report to governing bodies regarding mandated inspections, and that the governing bodies formally acknowledge receipt of the report.

By resolution, the council made such an acknowledgement on Monday.

“Although there are no penalties identified in the law, adoption of the resolution will establish the City of Pasadena’s intent to fulfill the requirements of the California Health & Safety Code regarding acknowledgment of the Pasadena Fire Department’s compliance,’’ the staff report said.