It’s official – The TelEm Group Building on Pond Island meets all safety requirements as stipulated under new fire safety laws for St. Maarten.
The building has received the green light from Government’s Fire Department inspectors following an official inspection on February 15th, 2011.
In its report following the inspection the Fire Department states:
"On the 15th of February 2011 the fire department re-inspected the main building of TelEm, located at Pond Island, Philipsburg, St. Maarten. The Fire Department has not further comments. The building meets the requirements."
The report notes that the re-inspection was made as a follow-up to a previous visit to the building during which a number of recommendations were made to make the building compliant to fire safety regulations.
The new regulations are more strict than regulations that were in place before the TelEm Group Building was inaugurated in 2007.
In the report, the inspectors list the recommendations for improvement, the actions taken by TelEm Group to meet the new regulation requirements and their acknowledgement of each requirement that was met.
TelEm Group Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Mrs. Helma Etnel said management is pleased that its main building is now officially in full compliance with the new fire safety regulations.
"We assigned a fire and safety consultant to assist with the additional requirements so that our personnel and customers can feel extra confident that they are working in and visiting a building that is fully compliant with the new regulations," said Mrs. Etnel.
Mrs. Etnel has been assured that upon completing the recommendations of the fire inspectors, TelEm Group is now considered one of the most compliant companies on the island based on the extra measures the company has put in place inside and outside the building.
Mrs. Etnel says now that the building’s safety has been made official, management will proceed with plans for regular fire drills and other safety procedures to keep personnel constantly aware of their own responsibilities in keeping their environment safe.
She said also that since a public issue was made last year about TelEm Group not meeting the new fire safety regulations, it is important to inform the public and customers of TelEm Group of the official Fire Department report and management’s full compliance.