NY Fire Underwriters to close in October

[Tom Raymond]

For those in WNY, I thought I would share this. I don't have any info beyond what is cut and pasted below from an email I received from a local code official.

Hello,

I have been informed that New York Board of Fire Underwriters has stopped accepting applications for electric inspections.

They will be closing their doors 10-16-09.

This is not as a big deal for the Village of Springville as it is in other Municipalities. Some Municipalities by code will only accept NYBFU. Here in the Village our code does not. I currently accept two other inspection services. Besides, one of the inspectors for the NYBFU, Bob Smith, switched to Commonwealth about a year ago. He was our area inspector and many contractors switch when he switched.

Current permit holders that have started with NYBFU may want to get their final inspection done soon.

Just so you know,

Tom

[Speedy Petey]

Not just Western NYS, ALL of NYS.

This is a BIG deal and is causing some grief already. I had four inspections I was going to call in the same day I heard from my local guy. He was nice enough to call all of his "regulars" and let them know. "The Board" itself, or should I say the higher-ups at The Board, did not have the common decency to let even their own inspectors know ahead of time, let alone give prior warning to the contractors that use them on a regular basis. The word was "Sorry. As of today we are not accepting any more applications.". Period.

The hammer just fell and they didn't give a crap about anyone. [:-censore

[Jim Katen]

I'm a little confused. Let me see if I've got this straight:

The great state of New York jobs out its electrical inspection work to a private company and that company has decided to get out of the electrical inspection business?

Isn't there another company waiting in the wings to take over?

Do you not have electrical inspectors who work for the state there?

- Jim Katen, Oregon

[Speedy Petey]

Isn't there another company waiting in the wings to take over?

Mostly yes, but there are some places that had only approved the Board to do inspections. Then there are those of us that by choice used the Board exclusively.

Now we are scrambling to find a suitable substitute.

Do you not have electrical inspectors who work for the state there?

Nope. Not typically.

I have heard there are some municipalities that do have local inspectors, but this is by far the exception rather than the rule.

[Jim Katen]

Isn't there another company waiting in the wings to take over?

Mostly yes, but there are some places that had only approved the Board to do inspections. Then there are those of us that by choice used the Board exclusively.

Now we are scrambling to find a suitable substitute.

Sounds like an opportunity. Someone who's quick on his feet could carve out a nice niche for himself. What about the Speedy Petey Board of Underwriters? Has a nice ring to it.

Do you not have electrical inspectors who work for the state there?

Nope. Not typically.

I have heard there are some municipalities that do have local inspectors, but this is by far the exception rather than the rule.

That just blows me away. It's completely arsey versy from the way we do it out here.

- Jim Katen, Oregon