CITY OFFERING HOME SAFETY INSPECTIONS

The city of Cape Girardeau will offer free safety inspections for homeowners in January and February.

Rick Murray, director of the city's inspection services, said "Operation Safe House" will "fill a gap" in the city's inspection program.

"Other structures already have inspection processes that help them," Murray said. "The one segment of our society that does not have any of these types of services is that homeowner who is not doing anything to his property other than living there."

"Operation Safe House" will be offered to owners of existing homes.

The city already has inspections for rental property reported in violation of the city's minimum property standards, for business property and for new or substantially renovated housing.

The city performed about 6,200 of those inspections last year, Murray said.

The safety inspections are "strictly voluntary" for homeowners, Murray said, and the results are non-binding.

"We only go to those residents that have asked us to come out," he said. "It is totally an educational inspection. We will not in any manner require the homeowner to make any adjustments to his or her property because of these inspections."

City inspectors will look for conditions that may pose safety hazards, Murray said. Among the items on the inspection checklist are:

-- Rubbish and trash accumulation

-- Hazardous use of portable heaters

-- Flammable liquids improperly stored

-- Combustibles stored near heating devices

-- Problems with roofs or shingles

-- Proper exits from basement sleeping rooms

-- Proper ventilation of gas appliances

-- Smoke detectors

-- Proper fuses

-- Excessive or improper extension cords

-- Overloaded electrical outlets

-- Damage to exterior walls/windows

-- Chimney flues/ventilation

-- Other hazards

"We want the owner to understand that this is a very focused inspection, that it is a safety and not a structural inspection, although any structural damage could be pointed out," Murray said.

Conditions like dry rot or pest infestation will be noted, he said.

"If we find a termite trail going up the side of the wall, you betcha we'll tell them," he said.

Murray said he hopes the safety inspections will prevent fires, accidents or other potential tragedies.

"We've seen everything from motorized vehicles in the basement to one guy who was washing his engine parts out in a sink down in the basement," he said. "He couldn't understand why he had a flash fire."

"Operation Safe House" will begin Jan. 5 and continue through the end of February, Murray said.

Another round of safety inspections may be offered later in 1998 if time permits, he said.

Only a limited number of safety inspections will be made because of scheduling restraints, and interested homeowners will have to register in advance for the free inspections. For more information, call Inspection Services at 334-4466.