City of Redwood CityPress Release
For Immediate Release                                                         

February 21, 2014

                                                                                       

Media Contacts

Bob Bell

City Manager

650.780.7300

 

Redwood City Lays Out Ongoing Fire Safety Plan for Sims Metal Recycling Facility

Public Officials issue Sims a list of more than a dozen fire safety measures to implement in order to prevent future fires that impact Redwood City and Neighboring Counties

 

Redwood City, Calif. - Redwood City's City Manager, Bob Bell, issued a letter to Sims Metal Recycling yesterday directing Sims to implement more than a dozen safety measures in order to operate a safe operation on Seaport Boulevard in Redwood City. This recent communication is a follow up to the December 19, 2013 letter Bell issued after December's fire impacted Redwood City residents and those of neighboring counties. The December 19, 2013 letter identified required safety measures to be implemented during a 60-day evaluation period that included random unannounced inspections and a "shred to the ground" policy. Sims has complied with all the City's requests during this 60-day period.

 

The latest directive issued February 20th identifies recommendations that the City wants Sims to implement including: high definition cameras located around debris piles and approaches to debris piles, a better perimeter security system, locked gates at all times, motion sensors, better controls - such as the use of a key card system - of who enters and exits the facility, a minimum of two security guards with additional special machinery training, and improved lighting around debris piles.

 

Most notably, the City is requiring that the practice of "shredding to the ground," identified in the December 19th letter, continue on an on-going basis, and that Sims hire a fire safety and operational consultant to make recommendations to prevent fires, and institute other industry best practices.

 

"The news of the second fire being possible arson did not deter the City from making good on our commitment to increase safety at the Sims Metal Recycling facility," explains Mayor Jeffrey Gee. "We feel they have a responsibility to manage their operations in a safer, more secure manner and do a better job of preventing fires - both accidental and suspicious."

 

Until Sims responds to the latest directive, the City has asked that the safety measures implemented during the 60-day evaluation period - which ends today Friday, February 21, 2014 - remain in place. This includes having qualified machinery operators on site 24/7 and a continuation of on-going frequent random fire inspections.

 

"We believe Sims will find that it is in their best interest to implement all measures that the City has identified as increasing fire safety for this facility, and for the good of our community and broader region," states Bell.

 

To learn more, visit www.redwoodcity.org.

 

 

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(sent by)

Sheri Costa-Batis 

Communications and Public Engagement Manager

City of Redwood City, California

~

Office:     650.780.7305

Fax:         650.780.7225

Email:      scostabatis@redwoodcity.org 

Web:        www.redwoodcity.org 

Twitter:    www.twitter.com/redwoodcity  

Street:     1017 Middlefield Road

                  Redwood City, CA 94063

 

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