South Salem Fire Department Raises Emergency-Access Concerns
The South Salem Volunteer Fire Department has submitted a written assessment of the proposed 14-lot subdivision at 831 Route 35, identifying several issues it believes should be addressed to provide adequate fire protection and emergency access.
The August 11 memorandum was sent to Planning Board Chair Janet Andersen by Fire Chief Matthew Yorke, First Assistant Chief Michael Davison and Second Assistant Chief Michael Wetzel.
Fire-Suppression Water Supply
The Fire Department notes that there is no available water source on the site and that the proposed development would be served by a dead-end roadway more than 1,000 feet long.
Because of those conditions, the Department strongly recommends that the subdivision include an underground water-storage tank for fire-suppression purposes. The memo notes that similar tanks have been required in recent subdivisions, including Silvermine and Falcon Ridge.
Road Width and Fire-Truck Access
The Planning Board previously discussed whether the proposed 26-foot-wide subdivision road could be narrowed to reduce impervious surface.
The Fire Department recommends against reducing the roadway to 20 feet. It notes that modern fire trucks can exceed 10 feet in width and says a narrower road could make it difficult for two fire trucks to pass while traveling in opposite directions.
The Department also recommends retaining the proposed 96-foot cul-de-sac, explaining that a smaller turning area could inhibit the ability of fire apparatus to turn around during an emergency.
Route 35 Emergency Access Is a Significant Concern
The Fire Department also focused specifically on the proposed emergency connection to Route 35.
Under the current plan, the roadway from the end of Mark Mead Road into the subdivision would be widened to 26 feet. The separate emergency-access route connecting the subdivision to Route 35, however, would not be widened to the same standard.
The Department identifies this as a “significant concern.”
Its preferred solution is more substantial: the Department strongly recommends that the subdivision roadway itself remain connected to Route 35, which it says would provide better direct emergency access.
If direct roadway access to Route 35 is not feasible, the Department recommends that the proposed emergency-access route be widened to at least 26 feet.
Lessons From the Old Shop Road Fire
The Fire Department gives particular weight to this recommendation by citing its recent experience responding to a fire on Old Shop Road, which it describes as similar in character to Mark Mead Road.
According to the memo, firefighters encountered “many challenges” on that roadway.
That experience appears to be an important reason the Department is emphasizing the need for adequate roadway width and a more effective secondary access route before the subdivision design advances.
Emergency Access Will Remain an Important Part of the Review
Emergency access had already been identified as an issue during the Planning Board's initial review of the proposal. The Fire Department's written recommendations now provide the Board with specific guidance from the emergency responders who would be responsible for serving the development.
The recommendations do not determine whether the subdivision will ultimately be approved or what the final access configuration will be. They do, however, identify several public-safety issues that the applicant and Planning Board will need to address as the plans are revised and the review continues.
Read the South Salem Volunteer Fire Department's August 11, 2026 memorandum.
