Jarvis: “It’s not rocket science”
NEWBURGH – The recent deaths of three Newburgh residents from carbon monoxide poisoning in their homes has brought the issue of code violations to the surface.
A group of community activists, Newburgh and Orange County officials gathered Saturday to discuss the growing concerns about code violations and their potential for injury or death of city residents.
That concern goes beyond just their health and safety, Newburgh Ministry Executive Director Colin Jarvis told the forum.
“It’s not rocket science,” said Jarvis. “It’s really looking at the buildings; it’s really coming up with a system that if the fire department condemns a building then people are transitioned immediately and not put out on the street, but have some place to go. That system has to be organized and structured with folks who are in charge. These are the folks that will not surface in terms of ‘well, I need a smoke detector.’ They are just looking for a very basic human need, the need for shelter.”
Fire Chief Michael Vatter agreed saying he feels terrible if a code violation results in the displacement of residents without any place to relocate.
County Executive Steve Neuhaus, Newburgh officials, braved Saturday’s
snow squalls urge residents to check their carbon monoxide and
smoke detectors or install them if they
don’t have any.
Vatter noted that rental units must have those devices installed and private homes should as well, but officials cannot enter a private residence without permission to check on them. He did advise, though, that any resident who believes they have a carbon monoxide issue to call the fire department, which will respond immediately to check it out.
Orange County Executive Steven Neuhaus said the three recent deaths were preventable. The county health department offers CO and smoke detectors at no charge to people who cannot afford them. The health department’s Robert Dietrich said last year, the county distributed 323 smoke detectors and 174 CO detectors to residents in Newburgh, Middletown and Port Jervis.
