Feb 11, 2007 By Patty Yauger 4 min read

CONNELLSVILLE – The laughter of the children echoes through the hallways of the First Street preschool. Anytime Monday through Friday, from early morning to late evening, up to 50 youngsters are learning their alphabet, are being read to or are fast asleep.

The children’s safety while at the Connellsville Area Preschool and Daycare Center as well as the safety of those the fire company serves is the top priority of a new initiative being launched by the New Haven Hose Volunteer Fire Co. that will document the physical features of various buildings throughout the city.

Firefighter Bob Topper Jr., who is overseeing the project, said when the company was recently asked to perform a safety inspection for Highlands Hospital, it occurred to him that the information he secured for the health care facility would be vital to the fire company should a fire take place.

“It is a lot easier to look around and find things when smoke isn’t clouding your vision and a fire isn’t burning all around you,” he said.

The number of rooms, what they are used for, pipe shoots, the storage of flammable materials, utility shutoff valves and location of the heating system are important to a firefighter, said Topper, as well as if the site is occupied.

“It is good to know these things, should we have to come in and fight a fire,” he said.

After he conferred with company officials and enlisted the aid of a few of his fellow firefighters, Topper began inquiring of other larger departments what information they were gathering from the buildings and their owners in their communities.

“This is nothing new,” said Topper of the initiative. “A lot of fire companies already have compiled this kind of information. When they are on their way to a fire, a computer screen shows the floor plan and other features of the building that can help them in fighting the fire.”

While just in the early stages of the project, Topper, along with New Haven 1st Lt. Randy Heinbaugh, hopes to encourage business owners and those that own vacant buildings to permit company representatives to document their sites.

“It is all about safety,” said Heinbaugh.

Those who take part in the program will be asked to complete a questionnaire that asks when the building is occupied or whether there have been previous safety problems, a sprinkler system or alarm system installed.

“If they have important documents or computers and where they are located at, is important,” said Topper. “If we can keep them from being destroyed or damaged, it is going to help.”

Although he has been a visitor to the preschool site, Topper said that the inspection of the facility gave him a new perspective of the building layout.

For instance, there is only one interior point of entry into an area above the ceiling that accesses the roof, said Topper.

“Now, we know if there is a fire in the roof, we’re going to have a lot of problems with accessing it,” he said. “Obviously, none of us are going to be able to fit through the small hole with all of our gear and air packs on.

“One of the first things we are going to have to do is get in here and cut a larger hole so that we can get a ladder up there and ventilate it to keep the fire from spreading.”

The inspection, added Topper, also gave him the opportunity to walk the length of the roof area.

“Buildings direct the fire. The more we know about the buildings, the more we will know how the fires are going to react,” he said. “Anything we can learn about the building in advance is a huge bonus.

“We want everyone to be safe.”

The next project is the Connellsville Area High School.

The gathered information, said Heinbaugh, is being shared with the active firefighters.

“We’re hoping to also get a video camera and use it when we are doing the inspections,” he said. “This information is going to help us to a better job.”

For more information about or to participate in the free inspection program, call the fire company at 724-628-5599.