Gallatin works to correct problems in TOSHA report

WSMV Story (click to read full article)

GALLATIN, TN (WSMV) - The city of Gallatin is having to make some major changes in a hurry after a state investigation revealed several problems that threatened the safety of the city's citizens and employees. The Tennessee Occupational Safety and Health investigation said several important things were missing at Gallatin City Hall. "TOSHA came in and they found a few missing exit signs and they found that we had no evacuation plan in place," Gallatin Risk Management Coordinator JamiAnn Hannah said. "They also found that we do not have a fire alarm system in City Hall." TOSHA cited the city for five violations.

"Every single floor of this building has citizens that are coming in and out of it," Hannah said. "They need to know where to go in case of a fire, employees as well." The investigation also found that Gallatin's Fire Hall No. 1, Fire Hall No. 2, police headquarters and a newly planned police annex are all missing commercial fire alarms. "Back in the '70s when these buildings were built, it was not required to have a fire alarm system in place," Hannah said.

Most of the buildings do have residential fire alarms, but they need to be updated to include things like standard power, batter back up, strobe lights, horns, pull stations, more security and liability. As soon as TOSHA cited Gallatin for the violations at City Hall, city employees took it upon themselves to find the other violations in the other city buildings. "Our main objective and the most important thing to Gallatin and to everyone else is that we keep our employees and our citizens safe," Hannah said. Officials are also taking action. Tuesday night, the Gallatin City Council will vote on an ordinance to appropriate $45,000 to add the needed fire alarms. The second reading is Feb. 3.

City officials said this is a sign of the system working.