Asbestos Was Impetus For New California Jail

Plans for a new temporary jail that will be used to detain and interview suspects in Redlands, California are gaining support. This week, the Redlands California City Council voted unanimously to appropriate $278,000 in funding to fabricate and install a temporary jail facility at Fire Station 264.

Rosemary Hoerning, municipal utilities and engineering director, said this is just the first of many steps towards creating the temporary facility. The completed jail is expected to cost just over $1 million.

City officials estimate that the jail will be operational by October of this year.

Police were forced to vacate the 47-year-old Safety Hall back in September when structural engineers found asbestos while preparing the building for an earthquake makeover.

As a result of this evacuation, police officers and dispatchers have been scattered across the city, which has caused a whole host of problems. The lack of a proper holding facility has been problematic for police as well. There have been attempted escapes, and tempers have been running high due to the complications arising from the new scattered formation of police and dispatch workers.

Asbestos is a known carcinogen. Airborne asbestos fibers can become lodged in the lungs if inhaled. These deadly particles can then hasten the development of such deadly diseases as asbestosis, lung cancer, and pleural mesothelioma.

Asbestos was once commonly used in building materials such as fireproofing, insulation, tiles, and even some cements and paints. The deadly substance, once prized for resistance to heat and chemical damage, is now known to be a deadly killer.

Source: http://www.pe.com/localnews/inland/stories/PE_News_Local_N_njail21.496ae8c.html