MoCo Probate Judge Raises Concerns Over Courthouse Fire Safety

Montgomery County Probate Judge Stacie Randolph spoke to the Board of Commissioners during their regular meeting on Aug. 10 about concerns of inadequate fire safety at the Montgomery County Courthouse.

“I have the same duty as anyone else in the community to bring awareness,” said Randolph.

According to Randolph, the courthouse only has one fire safety system in place: A sprinkler system which will only activate once smoke gets “high enough and hot enough.” Courthouse windows also cannot open, meaning staff would need to break the double-paned windows in the event exits were blocked. The courthouse also has no fire detection system to alert staff to an ongoing fire. 

“It appears that there is a lot of compartmentalization,” said Randolph in her speech to the board. “It’s as if we at the courthouse are left to take care of our own problems and needs without any help from the county.”

Randolph’s concerns stemmed from a basement fire in the courthouse on March 30 caused by a malfunctioning air conditioning unit. Randolph noticed the smoke coming from the building’s ventilation system, which alerted her to the fire.

“The day of the fire was a very stressful and fearful day, as it brought awareness of just how vulnerable we are in times of disaster,” said Randolph when addressing the board.

Since the fire, Randolph has spoken with multiple board members and has sent letters on the issue. However, the only change in regards to fire safety was the purchasing of fire blankets for the courthouse, a solution Randolph said she initially proposed as a joke.

“It just seemed like nothing was resonating,” said Randolph.

Randolph decided to speak during the board’s public comments so her concerns on the courthouse would be on the meeting minutes. During her speech, she criticized the lack of a fire safety plan and the lack of communication from the board.

“The fact that no one is concerned that, the day of the fire, everyone’s safety was contingent on my running through the hallway and yelling for others to exit the building, and that this practice is, apparently, our designated safety plan according to several of you that I’ve spoken to, is bewildering,” said Randolph.

Commissioner Amie Vassey did bring up the concerns on the courthouse’s fire safety during the board’s preceeding work session on Aug. 6. During that meeting, County Manager Heather Scott said smoke alarms could not be implemented due to insurance restrictions. 

Implementing a fire alarm system would also be expensive, as Scott said the price to install a system would be approximately $200,000. The Montgomery County Courthouse is also listed on the National Registry of Historic Places, which may impose extra limitations on potential fire safety solutions.

According to Randolph, she did not approach the board with ill-will or hostility, but rather out of a civic duty to bring awareness to the issue in the hopes it could be addressed. In addition to fire safety provisions, she hopes for greater communication from county leadership with the courthouse staff in the future.

“Reaching out and making any effort would make a great difference,” she said.