Old Saybrook, CT Fire Marshal

Big tasks take bold leaders.

When Pete was appointed as the Fire Marshal in the Town of Old Saybrook, he was tasked with trying to ascertain how many buildings required inspections and setting up schedules to maintain current compliance with State Statutes and National codes. He was facing huge challenges, with nothing truly computerized, tracking and security were difficult. Being involved in several public integrity cases, it was critical for him to have a software package with accountability and tracking that could keep compliance tracking easy.

Codepal was referred to Pete by another Connecticut Fire Marshal, Vernon Skau, from New London. ‘After a little time with a portable tablet, it was obvious this was the expeditious way of completing transactions. However, the number one valued asset we were looking for was support for the product once in place and that turned out well above our expectations. The owner of Codepal came to my office to meet with me face to face to assure my needs were met, I was sold. Not every software company owner will come to a small town to meet with a potential client, regardless that I was one man, not a huge organization. I was treated equally as important as a large client. They provided people on site that took me through the setup, how to use the program and went into the field to assess and adjust the program as I needed. Between value, cost, and service, the end cost of the product is by far the most economical for any Fire Marshal office trying to get themselves into the 21st century.’

Flexibility in the software gives Pete the forms and reports he needs in one place.

‘Having the ability to design my own forms or input state forms such as administrative cause and origin warrants, all permitting and search and seizure to name a few, is an outstanding feature of Codepal. Data simply moves into Codepal with minimal time to import. I’m now able to break out, organize, prioritize and manage our inspectable properties. I now can design, plan and implement on my own without having to go to Codepal to design every piece of the system. However, when I have a question or issue, each and every call has been answered by people that individually know, recognize and are able to deal with the issue via the web in literally seconds. My data and checklists are never lost, this system offers unbeatable record management services.’

Saving time and money, while reaching your goals is priceless.

‘Cost savings in the field, in terms of time management, cut the job down to a quarter of the time that used to be necessary to inspect, document and issue a report. The reports look professional and are easily emailed, printed in the car or can be mailed which gives Fire Marshals’ the flexibility needed based on assets available to do the job. I’m able to reference NFPA Codes, Connecticut Fire Safety Codes, and general Connecticut Statutes quickly with a click of the mouse, easily pulling them into my report. I can add photos and use speech to text to complete something as detailed as a major arson investigation or as simple as a permit.’

Legal issues and inspection liability is an unfortunate topic of the times. The issue is prevalent in Connecticut as well.

‘Considering recent court decisions that have been handed down regarding Fire Marshal responsibilities, duties, statutory mandates and obligations, in the state of Connecticut; Codepal affords me the comfort in knowing I’m able to track, maintain and report data to anyone at any time. This protects my office and my integrity allowing me to focus on the community I serve.’ Pete was tasked with developing a plan; he accepted the challenge and turned it around. ‘With Codepal, I was able to set up my 1, 2, 3 and 4-year inspections, state permits, tank pulls and more. I can easily handle issuing everything in a smooth transition from issue to delivery. The ease of using the program for someone who may not be computer literate is truly an asset. We met all our intended goals; keeping the board of selectmen informed of ongoing inspections through daily, weekly, monthly and annual reports. And communications with our citizens and businesses are sent in a timely manner.‘

Town of Old Saybrook, CT Fire Marshal Facebook Page