Gateview Fails to Hold Fire Drills

This story goes out to everyone in Albany who lives with kids or old folks. If you look up at the upper left corner on this page you'll see another image of the Gateview HOA complex - a large group of highrise buildings located next to Albany Hill. We haven't held a fire drill in several years.  Since there's no way for a firetruck to even reach most of our homes and unit doors are only rated for 30 minutes in a fire, evacuation is an essential component of preparing for potential disasters.

I've  brought the need for fire drills to attention of Gateview's Board of Directors several times but they refuse to acknowledge it's a valid concern or hold drills.  According to Albany's Fire Marshal Bill Svozil it's against the law not to hold annual fire drills in buildings such as ours. Gateview's Board of Directors even went so far as to codify in their most recent Guide To Living last year that "Participation is voluntary" in all fire drills. This is also illegal according the Fire Marshal. We have a Facility Emergency Plan but that hasn't been implemented despite being signed by both the City and HOA in 2011.

Are there penalties for these violations? Yes. Per the Fire Marshal, failure for someone to comply with any provisions of the Fire Code shall be guilty of a  misdemeanor, punishable by the limits set forth in the City of Albany Municipal Code. City of Albany Ordinance No. 13-03 Section 109.4. Once due notice is served, "each day that a violation continues ...shall be deemed a separate offense."

Considering that our community has 1500 people and many have accessibility issues, navigating a 15 story stairwell for the first time during a real emergency could be an exceptional challenge some may fail to meet. Fatalities are tragic in any city, but especially when they're foreseeable and preventable. Some may recall the fire that killed an elderly woman by smoke inhalation on Solano Ave. in 2012. Sprinklers alone don't guarantee survival in fires or disasters. For many Gateview residents English is a second language; that adds another layer of confusion for those unprepared during times of crisis.  

As your neighbor and fellow citizen I'm asking everyone who also finds this situation disturbing to please contact City Hall and ask for an investigation of Gateview's actions. I've tried, without success. If you agree that your neighbors and our residents shouldn't be deprived of a simple opportunity to prepare and practice for fires, earthquakes, or any other unforeseen event which might call for leaving a tall building on short notice without elevators; or of having an Emergency Plan which is taken seriously, there are contact numbers and email addresses below.

On behalf of our entire HOA community, especially households with children, thanks for any help you and your friends wish to offer.

Mayor's Office: Peggy Thompsen
(510) 559-7250
E: peggy.thomsen@gmail.com

City Council E: cityhall@albanyca.org

Fire Chief: Lance Calkins
Fire Marshal: Bill Svozil
(510) 528-5770
E: http://www.albanyca.org/index.aspx?page=21&ftitle=Online+Forms

Regards,
Steven H.