By Kim Hilsenbeck
Getting into the Christmas spirit seems easier with decorated hallways at elementary schools around Hays CISD. But the decor in the hallways at Carpenter Hill Elementary in Buda was considered a fire hazard.
According to Principal Jason Certain, much of it must come down per the Buda Emergency Services District 8 fire marshal.
Some parents and teachers expressed frustration, particularly since parent volunteers put in the effort to hang the decorations.
“Two or three parents from each grade spent countless hours transforming hallways into winter wonderlands, the North Pole, a train depot, Santa’s Wonderland, etc.,” one mom said in a note to the Hays Free Press about the situation. “The kids and teachers love it!”
She added, “The fire marshal showed up Monday and told them they have to take it all down.”
That is not exactly true, according to Fire Chief Clay Huckaby, who oversees ESD 8.
“There’s nothing wrong with decorations,” he said. “But they have to be in compliance with the fire code.”
Based on Certain’s understanding of the violations, some of the decorations must be moved or taken down, including anything that blocks a sprinkler head or impedes movement in the event of an evacuation. Temporary lights are also not allowed.
Huckaby also said it’s not the first time his marshal found fire code violations with hallway decorations at the school.
“We’re trying to work with the school,” Huckaby said. “[The fire marshal] never told them they had to rip it all down.”
Carpenter Hill parents, as in years past, strung holiday lights in the halls, put up fake trees with lights, and hung paper banners, snowflakes and poinsettias from the ceilings and walls.
“The kids are going to be devastated if it’s all down,” the mother who helped decorate said.
Per ESD 8 fire code rules, schools are allowed to decorate 20 percent of their walls. Each hallway at Carpenter Hill has tack boards indicating the space that is allowed to have decorations.
“If he doesn’t comply, they’re going to get a citation,” Huckaby said.
But Certain said his staff and parent volunteers are already in the process of taking down what they interpret to be code violations.
“I told the fire marshal that it didn’t all go up in one day, so it won’t come down in one day,” he said.
Certain also accepted responsibility for the issue, saying, “Part of this is my fault for not giving parents any direction on decorations.”
He said he was frustrated, though, that in previous years the fire marshal would inspect the building, provide a list of items to fix and then come back a year later for the next inspection.
Huckaby said with the hiring of a second full-time fire marshal in the fall, his staff can now do the appropriate follow-ups on fire code inspections.
“We’ve been short staffed in past, so now we can follow up,” he said. “We do [inspections] to protect the kids and the school.”
Certain added that creating an inviting learning environment is recommended by educational experts.
Certain and Huckaby met Tuesday to review the violations and determine which decorations can remain and which must be removed.
Following the meeting, Certain said he better understands the code. “The meeting was very productive,” he said.
Hays CISD spokesperson Tim Savoy said, “While we are grateful for our parent volunteers and appreciate all their work, our first priority is the safety of the students and staff. We will make sure our schools comply with the fire code.”
Editor’s note: an earlier version of this story incorrectly identified the fire marshal and Clay Huckaby as working for ESD 2. Clay Huckaby is the fire chief for ESD 8, which is where the fire marshal position resides. Huckaby is also in charge of ESD 2, which provides paramedic and ambulance services.
