Thursday, October 1, 2026
Often it takes a tragedy for people to realize the importance of planning ahead, getting permits for many aspects of property use, and the necessity of routine inspections, whether it be for homes, businesses or vehicles.
By now, you’re probably familiar with my policy of staying away from politics and placing blame — and rather just laying out some discussion points so that we can consider all factors moving forward.
Sadly, back in January, we all witnessed the devastating California wildfires, that resulted in unprecedented loss of lives and property. On Jan. 7, a young Valley Stream man tragically lost his life in a house fire. The village spends over a half-million dollars annually on fire hydrant rental, repair testing and maintenance. Obviously it’s a very necessary expense.
The Valley Stream Fire Department and the Nassau County Police Department respond to hundreds, if not thousands, of auto accidents every year.
And, of course we all struggled through a lengthy and painful period of quarantine during the pandemic.
Why am I pointing out what most of us already know? Because it seems to be human nature that we often complain when we need to get permits or inspections. Municipalities, including the village, always maintain that these rules and regulations are for the safety and well-being of our citizens. But residents and taxpayers often wrongly call them a waste of time, or a “money grab,” or worse, the government trying to control their lives. Any sort of planning and preparation for disasters is sometimes unfairly characterized as only being for doomsday preppers or survivalists.
Naturally, we cannot give in to this type of thinking.
Every municipality has a building department with laws and codes, including requiring permits and inspections. Those rules aren’t there to make your life difficult. They are there to protect your health, safety and well-being, as well as that of your community. Fire, electrical, plumbing and building codes exist to protect us. They ensure that we live, work and play in safe environments. I know it can look an awful lot like red tape, but the government is responsible for residents’ well-being.
Vehicle inspections also exist to protect everyone who uses our roadways. When we watch the news, we hear that vehicles involved in serious traffic accidents have been impounded for safety checks. Neglecting to have your vehicle properly and legally inspected frequently results in mechanical failures. Again, we tend to incorrectly think of these annual inspections as a way for the state to make money, or for an unscrupulous mechanic to rip us off. I don’t know about you, but I’d rather share the road with vehicles that have been maintained and properly inspected.
People who prepare for natural disasters and emergencies are smart. The Village of Valley Stream publishes hurricane and storm-preparedness tips, as well as heat, cold, snow and weather emergency tips. Our volunteer fire department has an excellent fire-prevention and education program. Hopefully we all have fire, smoke, heat and carbon monoxide detectors in our homes. Apps on our phones also provide fire, burglar and leak-detection systems. The resources for knowledge, guidance and assistance are readily available.
We learned a valuable lesson during the pandemic about keeping some basic essentials on hand. We probably all have an abundance of toilet paper in stock at any given time, something that likely never entered our minds before quarantines.
When tragedy strikes, it can be sudden, and is always uninvited. We must do our part to build, make and keep things safe.
I don’t know about you, but when the wildfires hit California, I not only stopped and paused to pray for those who lost everything, some who lost their lives and all of the first responders who worked so diligently to protect and save lives and property, but I also tried to put myself in their position. Where would I go, what would I take, would I be ready? Not to panic; nothing is more important than life.
Inspections, permits and preparedness are all great when things are going right. But what will happen when things go wrong? Hopefully, that preparedness will pay off.
I guess it all comes down to being aware. No need to be paranoid, just intelligent and, of course, educated.
Ed Fare is the mayor of Valley Stream.
