By Emily Wilcox

Stuntmen don’t always survive the stunt. Movie studios are ablaze with pyrotechnics and special effects, particularly in those oh-so-popular action films. As Americans escape to the theatre to avoid life’s harsher realties, the push is on for more action and bigger and better stunts.

In light of the Plymouth Rock Studios’ development, Fire Chief Ed Bradley is recommending Plymouth adopt National Fire Protection Association codes and standards specific to the movie industry.

“This new industry, like any other facility or business, has inherent fire protection issues, which need to be addressed to reduce risk from fire and to assure the safety of occupants, including actors, production personnel and audience members,” Bradley told selectmen last week. “The purpose of adopting these standards for fire protection, as it applies to the movie industry on the local level, is to provide a set of nationally accepted standards for the design, installation, inspection and operation of this industry in order to promote fire and life safety.”

April 4, Town Meeting will be asked to adopt National Fire Protection Association standards 140 and 160, which provide guidelines for the use of pyrotechnics, special effects and open flame devices. Currently, the state has no such standards, Bradley added; hence the need to adopt them on the local level before the movie making begins. The guidelines also provide minimum safety standards for stunts involving cars, bullet hits and firearms, in addition to the use of flammable gas equipment.

“The fire department’s job does not end with the building of the studios and the fire protection systems,” Bradley said. “We will be actively involved with safety meetings and permitting for open flame use, fuel storage, stunts, special effects and the needs pertaining to location shooting, changes in property use, temporary fire protection, road closures, etc.”

Deputy Fire Chief Marty Enos and Battalion Chief Michael Young traveled to Screen Gems Studios in Wilmington, N.C., to learn what type of fire prevention measures are needed at a movie studio. The death of a stuntman in Wilmington prior to the adoption of regulations there highlights the need to be proactive not reactive, Bradley added.

The standards Bradley proposes Town Meeting adopt mirror the California State Fire Codes and regulations, which have been developed over the past 100 years in response to the movie industry. His department also met with Plymouth Rock Studios regarding the issue, Bradley said.

“Plymouth Rock Studios will be more like a landlord,” Bradley told selectmen. “The studio will attract movie producers from all over the country and world.”

Selectmen voted unanimously to recommend Town Meeting adopt the new standards.