Fire Department Cuts Ordinance's Fees In Half

The Amherst Fire Department has adjusted the fees that go alongside a recently approved fire prevention/alarm ordinance.

Most of the fees were cut in half that they were too high for a town like Amherst.

 and sets fees for false alarms, building inspections and new constructions that require permits. (Full ordinance and fee schedule attached)

The fees were based on data from Keene, Bedford and Merrimack before the revision, but the new reduced charges reflect the size of a town like Amherst. No changes were made to hazardous material storage permits.

The ordinance includes fees false alarms after the first offense in a 365-day period. It also requires all buildings with automatic alarm systems to install a steel lock box called a Knox Box, which would hold all keys needed for emergency responders to access a building. 

The fire department crafted the ordinance as a a “cost recovery” for the man hours required for false alarms and inspections. Fire chief Mark Boynton said that the Knox Box guarantees faster access to buildings and prevents destruction to property during an emergency.