News13 has investigated the lack of annual state fire inspections at local schools for almost five years.. Legislation formed in response to a News13 special report just passed the state senate. 

“This is an idea that is such common sense. If we don’t keep our kids safe while they’re at school, all the best teaching in the world doesn’t matter,” said South Carolina Senator Greg Hembree (R- North Myrtle Beach).

Last year, News13 discovered a majority of Horry County had not received a complete state fire inspection in three years. Senator Hembree made that statement to News13 a few months after he introduced a bill that would require annual fire and safety inspections at all public schools in South Carolina. Inspections would have to be done by personnel approved and certified by the Office of State Fire Marshal.

S.709 is now headed to the State House, but, after further discussion on the Senate floor, it’s changed since Hembree first drafted it.

“A brand new school doesn’t need to be inspected nearly as much as maybe an older school,” said Hembree. “It’s different challenges in different places and again different resources.”

The bill would require every school district to have a comprehensive safety plan, including a plan for fire safety. It would not require school districts to conduct annual fire inspections.

“It doesn’t tell them how many they have to do. It doesn’t tell them when they have to do it. It leaves that flexibility to the district, instead of us coming from Columbia, trying to impose something on a district that might not even be smart or necessary,” Hembree said.

Last year, Horry County Schools spokesperson Teal Britton told News13 the district’s facilities team and school safety committees perform safety checks at each school. At the time, former Myrtle Beach Fire Marshal Bruce Arnel said that’s not enough.

“I know the school staff in a lot of these schools are doing the best they can with what we call ‘self-inspections. That’s not good enough. I think that it’s very important that these schools be inspected by a professional.” Arnel said.

Hembree said the state fire marshal’s office is ready and willing to help any school district, but that lawmakers decided it is each district’s responsibility to make sure each school is properly inspected for fire hazards.

“That’s a local responsibility that needs to be developed by the local community and implemented by the local community,” he said.