The Town of Grantsville continues to be on the receiving end of questioning citizens, desiring to know if the Town meets the requirements for adequate fire protection. The West Virginia State code requires the following:
§8-19-22. Identification requirement for fire hydrants that are inoperable or unavailable for use in emergency situations.
(a) The owner or operator of a fire hydrant or any device having the appearance of a fire hydrant that is located in a place that an entity responsible for providing fire suppression services in a fire emergency would expect a fire hydrant to typically be located, shall mark the fire hydrant or device, as set out in subsection (b) of this section, if the owner or operator has actual knowledge that the fire hydrant or device is inoperable or is unavailable for use by an entity providing fire suppression services in a fire emergency.
(b) To mark the fire hydrant or device, the owner or operator of the fire hydrant or device shall:
(1) Paint the fire hydrant or device black if the fire hydrant or device is inoperable or unavailable for use; or
(2) Place a black tarp over the fire hydrant or device if the device is temporarily inoperable or temporarily unavailable for use in a fire emergency, for a period not to exceed fourteen days.
(c) For the purposes of this section, the word “inoperable” means a fire hydrant that does not produce water flow when activated.
Business owner Crystal Mersh sent the following letter to Mayor Robert Petrovsky with a list of information requested to be made known at the April 7th, 2025 Town Council meeting
Good Morning Mayor,
I and others have had a number of calls and contacts related to the concern for the inoperable fire hydrants and your and the council lack of action to remedy the situation. The council was informed on Jan 10 and as you can see on the video at 19 minutes a council member spoke up and expressed great concern and indicated this was the first the town council was informed of the failing tests from October 2025. You promptly shut that concern down and reverted to a discussion accusing the GVFD of stealing water (which is also incorrect as you are responsible for having an operational meter there). The attempts to distract and derail focus on critical topics such as operational fire hydrants is over. The people have had enough.
There will be a call to action for the people of Grantsville to attend the next council meeting on April 7 and get a detailed update on the fire hydrant situation. You should be prepared to accommodate a large crowd and press including TV.
The following information is requested to be presented in a clear, precise and professional manner. Please add this to the agenda.
Inventory and location of fire hydrants in town
Specifications for how many there should be, location with proximity to each other and any other code requirement
- Date of last test for certification
- Results (and specifications) of last test
- Final assessment of pass or fail for each hydrant
- A plan of action for remedy to bring all up to code
- A risk mitigation plan until such time as they are all in compliance.
- A detailed list of all actions taken to ensure the safety of the people of Grantsville since the Jan Council meeting when the council was stunned to learn of the failing results from tests from last fall. Please provide evidence of these actions.
Peoples’ lives and safety are at risk and they deserve real answers not just a few papers flung at them and no action plan by the governing body.
We look forward to hearing your detailed overview which illustrates your willingness, capability and commitment to the safety of the town.
Sincerely,
Crystal Mersh
PS. We will be prepared for a change of date as we know that tactic has been used in the past to limit attendance.
Adequate fire protection for any community is not only a matter of hydrants but also the working parts and pieces comprised of various agency and government roles, laws, etc.; and throw into that mix, fire department volunteers, and there is nothing simple about it.
While this conversation can be motivated by political antics, the professional and sensible thing to do would be to insure that the every agency involved is operating in the best interests of the people they serve. The High Street Fire that took out a home and damaged the garage adjacent to it, could have just as easily been an entire block.
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