Some may not know the Bowling Green Fire Department goes out on its own personal ‘Bar Crawls’ three nights a week.
Even though the firefighters do not drink on duty, they visit all city establishments serving alcohol and carry a special checklist, marking off which hot spots are in violation of Ohio’s Fire Codes.
Each Thursday, Friday and Saturday night, the BGFD visits all clubs and bars in Bowling Green to maintain the safety of citizens. The firefighters list the fire hazards compromising safety and offer solutions to management on how to fix the problems.
Whether it is a blocked door, an exit sign not lit properly, or a club over its capacity, making sure the building is as safe as possible is essential to prepare for potential emergency situations, BGFD Fire Chief Steve Meredith said.
‘We have to make sure in the event of an emergency, the individuals will know how to get out of the buildings,’ Meredith said. ‘The main purpose of being here is to protect life.’
When firefighters report a violation, they do not issue fines or call the police. Rather, they take note of what is wrong and check to see if the problem has been fixed in the following days.
BGFD’s Deputy Chief will assess a fine only if management continues to ignore the problem.
One restaurant improving safety is Buffalo Wild Wings. Due to a burnt bulb in an exit sign behind the bar, firefighters suggested management put up new lights. One week later, the problem was solved and all parties were happy.
‘It’s very important that they do routine checks. It keeps everyone safe,’ said Kristopher Shepard, manager at Buffalo Wild Wings.
‘For [the BGFD] to come in and be a second set of eyes for us is good,’ he said.
Shepard is in the majority by taking the advice from the BGFD and working off their suggestions on how not to break the fire codes.
‘We have excellent cooperation from the business people downtown,’ Meredith said. ‘They usually take care of the problems right away.’
Firefighter Steve Tyda takes pride in his job no matter how small the task might seem. Tyda, who routinely conducts these fire checks, said in order for customers to have a good time when they visit downtown, they need to be ensured they are as safe as possible.
‘It all comes down to the safety factor. I don’t see any other way of looking at it as protecting the public, students and the patrons in bars and restaurants,’ he said.
And just because firefighters might not always be running into burning buildings does not mean fire checks are any less significant when it comes to saving lives.
‘I think [fire checks are] probably more of an important of a job,’ Meredith said. ‘Property can be replaced, but you can’t replace the people.’
BGFD firefighter Jake Bower describes the whole process of these fire checks as firefighters acting as an insurance policy. While the instant gratification of saving lives is missing, Bower knows making a building safe can limit many fire-related deaths and injuries in the future.
‘Prevention is our number one thing because we don’t want to see anyone lose a life,’ he said.
To take the ‘heat’ off local bar owners and managers, the BGFD recommends the following to ensure each establishment is a safe place to be in: Have at least two unlocked exits at all times. Make sure nothing is blocking either exit. Properly display the exit signs above the appropriate doors. Make sure they are in plain sight and can be seen from afar. Install light-emitting diode exit signs. Not only are they inexpensive, but they also last longer and are more effective than traditional fluorescent lights in exit signs. Make sure the flood lights (back up lights) are functioning properly. In case of a power outage, these signs will remain lit. The building should never be beyond its maximum capacity. If a fire breaks out, it will be hard for people to exit in a calm fashion.
