FIRE CHIEF STUDIES RIVERBOAT SAFETY ISSUES

Before the Cape Girardeau City Council chooses a riverboat gaming company at its next regular meeting, it will have to consider each company's approach to safety measures on and off the boat.

But the city will also have to address safety issues of its own, in areas such as building code enforcement for the land-based portion of the operation and police and fire protection for patrons.

It is for reasons such as these that Cape Girardeau Fire Chief Robert L. Ridgeway, Jefferson City Fire Chief Bob Kennett and Jack Treasure from the Missouri State Fire Service Training Institute traveled to the Mississippi cities of Gulfport and Biloxi, seeking answers to questions concerning safety of the gaming operations.

"We went down there with three main objectives and a good number of questions," said Ridgeway. "And after spending an average of 12 to 14 hours a day talking to people and touring gaming facilities, I now feel more educated about riverboat gambling facilities and their operations.

"We don't pretend to know all there is to know, but we have a lot more knowledge about gaming operations than we did before," he said.

The city of Cape Girardeau paid for Ridgeway's fare, as did Jefferson City for Kennett's trip. Treasure provided the transportation for the trip, which spanned Feb. 8-12.

Their objectives were:

-- To identify and understand the differences between local building or fire code requirements and the Coast Guard regulations as they apply to land-based and fixed facilities, and a cruising vessel;

-- To identify life and fire safety issues as they apply to fixed facilities and cruising vessels, as well as the fire suppression concerns for boats and land-based operations; and

-- To be able to define a relationship between planning, code enforcement, fire protection interest, life safety, facility development and the community expectation.

To find answers to their questions, Ridgeway said he and his peers met with fire and police personnel, city inspectors, gaming officials, construction workers and even talked with employees of the gaming facilities.

The city of Cape Girardeau will ultimately be responsible for security and fire protection measures as they pertain to the land-based part of the gaming operation selected by the city.

When the boat is away from the dock, it falls under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Coast Guard.

"But the Coast Guard doesn't have fire trucks," said Ridgeway. "That is part of the reason both myself and (Police Chief Howard Boyd Jr.) are looking into a boat designed to fit both our needs."

Ridgeway said the Mississippi gaming operations appeared to be cooperative with state and local officials as far as complying with building and safety codes.

"I was amazed at how much work had been done in so little time," said Ridgeway. "A year ago, there were no gaming boats in Biloxi or Gulfport. Now, there are six or eight existing facilities and about another 14 currently under construction.

"Once they get a permit, it's phenomenal how the gaming companies move," he said. "They have people working 24 hours a day, seven days a week to construct the facility, which means they can do a month's worth of work in about a week's time."

Because of this expediency, Ridgeway said city officials must be prepared to monitor the construction on a daily basis.

"The city is going to have to be involved in the whole process, from the planning stages until the day the boat opens for business," Ridgeway said. "Then the city will have to assume the responsibility of monitoring the operation's progress, to ensure a continuing compliance with city ordinances and safety codes."

As far as fire safety goes, Ridgeway said the boats and gaming facilities are fairly well equipped for emergencies. The boats and land-based portions of the gaming operations are equipped with heat and smoke detection devices and have adequate sprinkler systems on board.

"The boats and land-based facilities will be equipped in such a way that the immediate need will be abated until we arrive," Ridgeway said.

"They are required to have enough lifeboats to accommodate all the crew and passengers in case of an emergency," said Ridgeway. "As for the land-based part of the operation, we view that as any other building or business in the city -- it is something we will have to be prepared to deal with in the event of an emergency.

Ridgeway said the Mississippi boats were also staffed with emergency medical personnel and basic medical equipment.

The two fire chiefs were not only on a fact-finding mission for their respective municipalities, but for other cities.

"We are currently working to put together some sort of statewide seminar on code enforcement and fire safety as they pertain to riverboats," said Ridgeway. "This is something which is brand new to the state and we feel it necessary to develop some sort of guidelines for areas which will have to deal with riverboats.

"I've also talked with the National Fire Protection Associating about establishing some sort of safety standards for riverboats and gaming operations," he continued. "There's just nothing on the books right now which even comes close to the kind of thing we're going to be dealing with in a few short months."