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ATACHMENT FOUR (4) :Letter from Caldwell Fire Department concenring 39 <br />provision of services <br />CALDVVE~.,L SIRE 1JEPAR.TMEN'I' <br />7020 GUESS RD. <br />ROUGEMONT NC.27572 <br />To; Orange County planning Department <br />Michael Harvey <br />Subject Montessori school Terry Rd <br />The proposed Montessori School facility at 711 Terry road is within the Caldwell Fire District and the Caldwell <br />Fire department provides fire and first responder services to that area. There axe no fire hydrants in the district <br />and the department relies on static water points within the district far water supplies fox fire protection. The <br />proposed facility would be considered an educational facility with increased life safety considerations due to the <br />occupancy of the building Water supplies for fire protection in educational facilities must be considered when <br />a facility is constructed. <br />The North Carolina Department of Insurance admi~ustexs the Response Rating Survey program, where all fire <br />districts and departments are graded for insurance purposes. Static water supplies (pond etc.) £or fire protection <br />should be located at a distance nat to exceed 1 '/a miles. The closest existing water point in the area would <br />exceed this distance from the proposed school site and adequate water supply is.maxginal during the beat of <br />times. Static water supplies approved by the Department Of Insurance, Office of the State Fire Marshall for <br />grading purposes should contain a minimum of 30,000 gaIIons of available water and capable of withstanding <br />a drought with an average 50 year frequency. When the Depaxtcnent of Insurance grades fine districts, the <br />grading process is done using the needed fire flow on commercial properties only, such as the proposed <br />Montessori school. If a water source is not available within 1 '/a miles, the department could lose points .during <br />a grading process, thereby compromising the insurance ratings for the entire fire district. We have held <br />conversations with Orange County Fire Marshal Mike Tapp and he is in agreement wit our recommendations. <br />A water poauzt needs to be established at the site in order £ox the Caldwell Fite Department to adequately <br />provide fire protection to the school. We are not seeking to prghibit approval or construction of the facility, <br />only to ensure that life safety considerations axe considered during times of emergencies and that the fire <br />department has an adequate water supply for fine protection purposes. <br />Respectfully, <br />Andy Gates <br />Chief Caldwell Fire <br />