EDWARDSVILLE - Many Edwardsville restaurants have added tents to accommodate the Illinois Department of Public Health requirements limiting indoor dining. Edwardsville Fire Chief James Whiteford said today the Edwardsville Fire Department is extending tent permits until January 1, 2021, for all businesses that currently have a valid tent permit.
"With cooler weather arriving, questions about adding heaters to tents are becoming more common," Fire Chief Whiteford said. "Under current IDPH mitigations tents must have two sides open, but the Edwardsville Fire Department wants everyone to know that both electric and propane heaters can be safely added to tents as long as the following rules are met:
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Heaters must be UL Listed, installed, and operated per manufacturer's specifications.
Electric heaters must be plugged into an appropriate outlet; cords should be protected from damage and becoming tripping hazards
Fuel tanks for propane heaters must be located more than five feet away from the tent
Whenever a heater is located in a tent there must also be a fire extinguisher present in the tent
For businesses who want to install a new tent in Edwardsville please remember:
Tents over 10 feet by 10 feet require a permit
Tents for businesses need to meet NFPA 1701 flame resistance
Tents need to be installed properly, according to the manufacturer’s recommendations
Tents need to be located properly, so as to not block exits from buildings
All of these requirements are explained in detail on the tent permit application. Permit applications are available at www.cityofedwardsville.com, and the permitting process is free.
