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From:Angie Mathias
To:Katie Buchl-Morales; Margarette Bravo
Cc:Vanessa Dolbee
Subject:RE: ESS Fire and Life Safety Concerns
Date:Wednesday, July 20, 2022 8:31:59 AM
Attachments:image002.pngimage003.png
It just becomes correspondence received.
From: Katie Buchl-Morales <KBuchl-Morales@Rentonwa.gov>
Sent: Tuesday, July 19, 2022 4:55 PM
To: Angie Mathias <AMathias@Rentonwa.gov>
Cc: Vanessa Dolbee <VDolbee@Rentonwa.gov>
Subject: FW: ESS Fire and Life Safety Concerns
Hi, Angie –
Just confirming the correct process – does this need to be routed it Planning Commission in advance
of tomorrow’s meeting? Does anything need to accompany it? Thank you. – Katie
From: Anjela Barton <abarton@rentonrfa.org>
Sent: Tuesday, July 19, 2022 10:15 AM
To: Katie Buchl-Morales <KBuchl-Morales@Rentonwa.gov>
Cc: Steve Heitman <Steve.Heitman@rentonrfa.org>
Subject: ESS Fire and Life Safety Concerns
To: City of Renton
From: Renton Regional Fire Authority
Subject: Energy Storage Systems Public Comment
The Renton Regional Fire Authority (RRFA) would like to submit public comment pertaining to the
installation, construction and operation of energy storage systems (ESS) within the city of Renton.
While we understand the value of this new technology, the RRFA wants to ensure that they are
installed, constructed and operated in a way that ensures community and firefighter safety. We
believe that any installation, construction or operation at this time would not meet our expectations
due to a lack of adequate minimum code requirements. Specifically, the current 2018 International
fire and building codes do not provide for explosion protection at these facilities – a key component
to ensuring the safety of department members that would respond to any incidents that occur. In
contrast, the 2021 International fire and building codes do include such requirements and are
expected to be adopted by the State of Washington and become effective on July 1, 2023. Due to
the history of explosions that have resulted in significant injuries and death to firefighters at these
facilities we believe this to be of paramount importance.
Additionally, the RRFA will need to explore what additional specialized equipment we will need and
how to fund its purchase to be successful in any responses we may have. We also know from other
fire agencies experiences that fires involving lithium-ion batteries create a number of toxic releases
that may require evacuation of homes and businesses and an expected increase in medical calls
from the public when exposures occur. Last, fires in these facilities burn for extensive periods of
time, upwards of days to weeks. We need the opportunity to determine what staffing impacts that
will have on our ability to ensure continuity of the services that we currently provide to the entire
community, along with code adoption to permit the restitution of costs associated with any
firefighting efforts we may have to provide.
Moving forward at this time with installation, construction or operations of these facilities would be
premature based on the gaps identified above, and would potentially jeopardize our ability to
provide the level of services our community expects from our organization. We humbly request a
delay in reviewing and approving any ESS facilities be granted until adequate codes are adopted in
Washington, that we can determine what specialized equipment is needed for our emergency
responses, and that we are able to ensure restitution of costs capabilities.
If you have questions or would like to discuss further, please do not hesitate to reach out.
Sincerely,
Anjela Barton, Fire Marshal
Renton Regional Fire Authority | Office of the Fire Marshal
18002 108th Ave SE, Renton, WA 98055
W: 425-276-9504
ABarton@RentonRFA.org
Professionalism • Integrity • Leadership • Accountability • Respect