Taste of Amherst Thursday 6:45 PM
Next year on the 25th silver anniversary of the Taste of Amherst food offerings may not quite be the same as they have since inception. As in, no fresh fried food on site.
Because of a relatively new law that requires open air fryolaters to have an (expensive) fire suppression system, like they do inside a bricks-and-mortar restaurants, their use at the Taste of Amherst will cease next year. Currently six venders out of 21 use fryolaters.
Click to enlarge/read
Assistant Chief Don McKay Statement
When it comes to the Taste of Amherst, an iconic culinary event the town is justifiably proud of, cooperation from all stakeholders is key. Perhaps the main reason the Taste has been a huge success all these years. (Besides the great food of course.)
But nothing is more paramount than public safety.
Town Meeting recently approved spending $10,000 for "spider boxes" to mitigate electrical chord chaos that ensues on the Town Common with major events like The Taste. Because electricity can be a dangerous thing.
Anyone who has ever experienced a grease fire knows how explosively scary they are. Mix in a multitude of untrained civilians near combustible tents, and you have a recipe for disaster.
Fryolators are segregated off in their own enclosed area (not under a tent)
The Chamber of Commerce will meet with town officials at the conclusion of this year's Taste to cook up a firm plan for next year, which could include appealing AFD's interpretation of the law to the State Fire Marshal or simply requesting restaurants not offer food that requires a fryolator.
Venders could also fry food at their regular establishment and then ferry it to the Town Common.
Taste of Amherst Friday 5:45 PM
15 comments:
This is good, my daughter has been burned not just once, but twice in the all too the all too common explosions from outdoor fried food vendors. I am worried it will happen this year again if those that are responsible for protecting us don't step up. We have all seen these explosions and I commend Amherst for standing up and ending this very unAmerican tradition of fried food at outdoor events. Also this makes sure that vendors trend towards larger businesses and this keeps the smaller business out of the playing field, as it should be.
The bigger issue, town officials have locks on their front doors, but they were installed backwards....the key holes are on the outside.
And what about hot pizza slices...? There is work to be done.
Whatever that was requires its own special font.
"Fried food at outdoor events is unAmerican"
lol
Oh Boy!
I was under the impression that the requirement for range hood fire suppression systems was to keep the building from burning down, and with all due respect to the AFD, as long as you (a) have the fryolater outdoors, (b) away from anything it could set on fire, (c) away from the public with (d) a secure barrier such as zip-tied plastic snow fencing, and (e) those cooking with it have an open, unimpeded means of egress in at least two directions, I don't see what the issue is.
If it catches fire, let it burn...
The fryolater is designed to withstand the heat of burning oil and maintain structural integrity so the fire is going to be limited by the availability of oxygen. It will smoke like hell, and I'd want some folks who knew what they were doing (like trained firefighters) extinguishing it, but I can't see what the issue is.
What DOES bother me, however, is what the AFD implies in their safety memo -- that restaurant equipment currently burning Natural Gas is going to be run on Propane for this event. That is a really bad idea -- Propane has something like 2.4 TIMES the heat energy per cubic foot of gas and you have to change all the burner orifices, control valves and the rest -- it's doable if you know what you are doing and have the right parts, but you have to tear the whole thing apart and essentially rebuild all the burners.
And Larry, if anyone is running *anything*, and particularly a fryolator, that is designed for Natural Gas on Propane -- that is a real fire hazard!
The Dangers of Eating with a Fork!
I blame Mes. Obama! Lol
Textbook annex taken over by Amazon. They should sponsor this event and fly in any fry-o-lated grub with their drones. LK can subcontract.
One other thought: How many different fire code regulations (not to mention common sense) would be violated by using a standard charcoal grill inside a building?
Simply stated, if you didn't burn the building down, you'd kill everyone inside with the Carbon Monoxide produced -- and everyone with an IQ above 12 knows that you simply don't do this, although I suppose there is probably some provision in the fire code that says you can't.
Likewise, how much common sense do you need to understand that the provision was never intended to apply when the grill is being used outdoors?
The solution here is simple: Massachusetts has "direct initiative" -- anyone can introduce a bill in the General Court and you introduce one that says "Notwithstanding any law, regulation or code to the contrary, neither a range hood nor range hood fire suppression system shall be required on any device used outdoors, provided that it (a) has no range hood, (b) is a safe distance from both buildings and the public, (c) is operated by trained personnel (d) in a safe manner."
Then you get Stan to support it. Get it passed.
Then you ask your fire department to obey Massachusetts state law.
Instead of hiring an "economic development coordinator," maybe we could save money by hiring public officials who don't hate businesses so much.
Viva fried food!
The Nanny state is alive and well.
A serious question: As AFD points out, propane tanks have to be hydrostatically tested ever 12 years -- exactly how do you test a buried tank?
Oh, AFD, how long has that propane tank been buried at Mill Hollow Apartments?
I think it has been a LOT longer than 12 years....
How about worrying about real things....
You know that those spider boxes are only good for 50 amps (at 120 volts) which technically is 25 amps at 240 volts (although it appears they are rated for 30).
That's a hot water heater or clothes drier -- an electric stove requires a 50 Amp (240 volt) circuit. That's not much.
They are designed to operate power tools at a construction site.
And there is no GFI protection on the cord running TO the spider box, and that is where you have people stepping on it and whatnot, that is where you are going to have problems. And what overcurrent protection is on that line? Any?
Make that Mrs. Obama. Sry.
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