An effort is underway to raise money for the installation of wireless fire alarm detection systems inside the two dozen or so buildings in the North Main Street historic shopping area, structures that do not currently have a fire detection system.
Fire Chief Jerry Varnes said he wants to put the $350,000, state-of-the art system into the buildings on North Main Street between Park Lane and Owen Brown Street. He added there are about 60 to 70 businesses in these buildings, which are more than 100 years old.
“The vast majority of the buildings have no smoke detectors or fire protection of any kind,” Varnes said. “A couple of the restaurants have a hood system and a couple of the restaurants have [something] a little more advanced than that, but hardly anybody has anything.”