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Pembroke Park commissioners hear safety concerns over lack of hydrants in mobile home parks
Summary
Commissioners discussed repeated fire-safety problems tied to the absence of hydrants inside the town’s mobile home parks, directed staff and fire officials to develop a plan, and asked the code and legal teams to pursue property access and owner permissions as needed.
Pembroke Park commissioners on Feb. 20 heard from fire officials and commissioners that many of the town’s mobile home parks lack interior fire hydrants, posing a risk to rapid fire suppression.
Battalion Chief Michael Caine of Broward Sheriff Fire Rescue told commissioners that fire apparatus typically carry about 1,000 feet of supply hose and that “we have to drop a line at the nearest hydrant” when a hydrant is located outside a park, which can leave parts of a development unreachable. He said ideal protections would include hydrants inside developments or a jockey pump to maintain pressure.
The town manager, David Lynch, and several commissioners described past incidents in which fires in mobile homes spread quickly. Commissioner Hodgkins recalled a recent fire that required multiple engines and long hose deployments along Hallandale Beach Boulevard. Commissioners noted a previously commissioned study tied to the town’s fire-fee effort and said the study and other data will be shared with staff.
Commissioners directed staff to develop a plan with the fire department, code enforcement and legal counsel to address hydrant installation and access in the town’s mobile home parks. Commissioner Kashim said she would work with staff; the commission agreed to have staff meet with park owners or homeowners associations, attend HOA meetings with the fire department if needed, and present recommendations to the commission.
No ordinance or purchase was adopted at the meeting. The discussion produced a directive for staff to produce an actionable plan, including options for requiring owner permission or using town authority to secure access where public safety requires it.
Commissioners also noted prior expenses tied to study work; one commissioner said $80,000 had been spent on a study related to fire protection needs. Lynch and Chief Caine said some solutions will require engineering input and capital funding and that further details and cost estimates would be included in the plan returned to the commission.
