In the wake of the recent fire at the Black Seal Restaurant, Essex Fire Marshal John Planas has organized an informational fire safety presentation for the town, which will be held at the Essex Town Hall on Wednesday, Feb. 5, at 6 p.m.

Planas, along with Essex Director of Health Lisa Fasulo, Building Official David DeLeeuw, Fire Engine Company #1 Chief Aron Schumacker, and First Selectman Norman Needleman, will discuss fire hazard areas in town and the proactive steps that can be taken to protect business and residents of multi-family units.

“This is something I wholeheartedly believe in and I want to engage the community in an educational conversation about fire information and what resources are available, especially the business owners in towns and those that have multi-residential homes,” said Planas.

Planas explained that the fire at the Black Seal Restaurant could have been catastrophic for the village, had it not been reported so quickly and extinguished swiftly.

“The downtown area of Essex is a high-risk area for fires because the buildings are so old and so close together,” said Planas, who remembers when downtown Branford went up in flames under similar conditions.

He added, “This program is designed to be a reminder about fire safety for the residents in town and to let them know how important it is to have a 24-hour fire safety monitoring system in place, especially in businesses.”

Planas is working on drafting a town ordinance that would require that all businesses in town have this kind of fire safety system, which automatically notifies the Valley Shore Valley Shore Emergency Communications dispatch center if there is a fire. The Black Seal Restaurant did not have this kind of system; instead it was residential fire alarms that alerted the residents of apartments that there was a fire. They then called 911.

“With the 24-hour fire safety system, there is no need to wait for someone to call 911, the communication system is automatically alerted and the fire department is immediately dispatched,” said Planas.

“This is a great opportunity for residents and business owners to learn and ask questions about this important topic. Even if you are not a business or apartment building owner you are welcome to attend,” said Planas. “I hope residents come out, meet their neighbors and first responders, and...learn how, by working together, we can ensure that Essex is a town that is safe and educated about fire safety.”

“Kudos to all the fire departments that responded so quickly to the Black Seal fire,” said First Selectman Norman Needleman. “It could have been a tragedy. It’s miracle it wasn’t.”

He added, “John Planas has done an excellent job over the past few years with his aggressive fire safety investigation campaign and I suggest all business owners install a 24-hour fire safety monitoring system. It’s a small expense and we are trying to get everyone board.”