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Hearing To Investigate Fire Preparations In D.C.

September 15, 2009
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The D.C. Council returns from its summer recess today. The first order of business for one committee: a public hearing about the city's fire hydrants.

A fire at the home of philanthropist Peggy Cooper Cafritz on July 29th sounded alarms about the District's ability to control fires. Low water pressure made it difficult for firefighters to put out the flames in Northwest D.C.'s Foxhall neighborhood.

Councilman Jim Graham is calling the hearing to make sure that doesn't happen again. "When there's serious questions about whether there's an adequate water supply to fight a fire such as what occurred at the home of Peggy Cooper Cafritz--this is something that we've got to pay very close attention to," says Graham.

Graham says the city has identified 38 locations that require capital improvements or special plans for fighting fires. Those sites will be discussed at the hearing.

"But the question, of course, is how many other areas are there in the city that require either capital improvements or special plans," Graham says. Graham expects to learn more about the answer to that question today.

Rebecca Blatt reports...

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