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The Cortlandville Fire Department has written an official letter to the Cortland County Planning Board regarding the recommendation of a fire hydrant installation at the Suit-Kote facility on Route 11 in Cortlandville.
The department is making the recommendation after a large fire at the facility in February last year caused delays in fighting the fire and resulted in the fire department laying 3,000 feet of five-inch hose in order to reach the fire.
“This is not practical and is time consuming to accomplish, allowing the fire to grow exponentially before adequate water flow can be established and applied to any fire.” Fire District Chairman Kevin Whitney said in the letter to the Planning Board
A quote from January 6th for the cost of installing the fire hydrant is estimated at $150,000 dollars. The fire department also expressed they appreciate Suit-Kote as a business and neighbor within the fire district or to not financially burden the company, but do believe a fire hydrant installation should be considered.
Last year, a fire at the Suit-Kote facility had the Cortlandville Fire Department call in an all hands fire with multiple fire departments from Cortland and Tompkins County responding.
Suit-Kote is currently looking for the County Planning Board’s approval for two new asphalt storage tanks on the property.
Original story from the fire on February 17th 2022.
UPDATE: All-Hands Fire at Suit-Kote Facility Contained (Photos & Video)
