While the state has had to shut down a handful of businesses for violating emergency orders during the pandemic, state officials say for the most part, business owners are very cooperative.
The last thing the state wants to do is shut anyone down, says Fire Marshal Butch Browning.
"We've developed a system to where we have worked with businesses," said Browning. "We've given them many chances to modify what needs to be done."
Browning says unless it's really bad, they are giving businesses three strikes.
"We probably have about 14 businesses right now that are on a second strike, and we are going out and working with them," he said.
Browning says for the most part, business owners want to follow the rules.
"We've had better compliance with the COVID mitigation measure than we might perhaps have in normal times when we enforce the fire code," Browning said, "because people believe in this."
