Residents, firefighters and officials flag warehouse sprawl for emergency-response and public-safety concerns

Residents, local advocates and officials used the March 25 work session to press township leaders about safety and emergency-response challenges linked to recent warehouse development.

Two residents who testified said they had spoken at a Trenton hearing on warehouse sprawl and conveyed concerns raised there by professional first responders. Helena Rogan told the council that presenters at the state hearing had reported multiple obstacles: "The warehouses do not have elevators or they have small elevators that only small amount of equipment can fit into. Therefore making the first responders carry heavy equipment, a flight of stairs to perform medical rescue." Jan Brandt, who also testified at the committee hearing, said the meeting "opened my eyes" about emergency-response limitations and the strain put on local services as more large distribution centers are built.

Speakers at the state hearing and residents in Franklin singled out several practical problems: unclear interior and exterior signage at large facilities, changing inventory and clients that leave warehouse contents outdated on notices, tall and wide building geometries that complicate fire fighting, and lithium-ion battery fires that are difficult and prolonged to extinguish. Rogan said officials at the hearing cited an instance in which a large warehouse fire took multiple days to suppress.

Township officials said they are reviewing immediate steps. A council member responded that staff will "pull some" model ordinances and asked the attorney to draft language addressing lithium batteries and fire prevention. The township manager also told the council he would pull local examples of signage and work with public-safety staff on short-term fixes.

The meeting also revisited a recent emergency at Canal Walk, where a resident reported that an adult suffered a medical emergency and witnesses expressed concern about delays. The township manager summarized his review of body-worn camera footage and emergency logs: "There was emergency life support given to the victim by our police officers in the form of, defibrillator and CPR. The arrival of the first officer was in 3 minutes. The arrival of the first ambulance was about 15 minutes after the initial dispatch, for them to respond." The manager said both a basic life-support and an advanced life-support ambulance were dispatched and arrived together.

Why it matters: Speakers said warehouse clustering increases demand for police, fire and EMS and can amplify response challenges when facilities are large, open-plan and house hazardous inventories. Firefighters and emergency planners have flagged lithium-ion battery fires and building layout as added complicating factors.

What’s next: Township officials said they will review signage standards for large facilities, ask the attorney to draft possible ordinances on lithium-battery safety and fire prevention, and examine operational changes to reduce response delays. No formal ordinance was adopted at the meeting.