Fire Inspection Program

Section 3 - FIRE PREVENTION

PURPOSE:

To establish basic guidelines pertaining to the Fire Prevention / Life Safety Program and its delivery for the Maitland Fire Department.

This guideline will cover all members of the Department. The Fire Chief will have final authority for changes to the Fire Prevention / Life Safety Program. Authority to vary from this guideline rests with the Fire Chief or Fire Marshal.

PROCEDURE:

• The Maitland Fire Department provides a Fire Prevention / Life Safety Program which places an emphasis on fire safety inspection skills and techniques to eliminate or minimize municipal losses. Enforcement jurisdiction is outlined in the Maitland Code of Ordinances, Chapter 6, Article II based on the Florida Fire Prevention Code, current edition (FFPC). The key program objectives for this program are as follows:
  • Assess life safety and fire risks in comparison to the delivery of fire protection and its effects.
  • Locate, record and affect corrections to common problems concerning life safety and property correction.
  • Create and maintain thorough records and database in order to measure and analyze the effectiveness of the fire prevention / life safety program.
• Florida Statute 633 establishes the Fire Chief of the City of Maitland as the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ), and that the AHJ shall determine whether the provisions of the Code are met. Any requirements that are essential for the safety of building occupants and that are not specifically provided for by the Code shall be determined by the AHJ. (FFPC 101 4.6)
• The overall goal in the application of the Code is to provide what is considered to be a reasonable degree of safety. (FFPC Section 4.6)

Administration

• The Fire Marshal shall oversee the Fire Prevention / Life Safety Program for the Department. Said Fire Marshal shall manage and administer the program and perform other job functions as outlined in current job descriptions and as directed by the Fire Chief.
• The Fire Marshal will remain apprised of all changes regarding requirements set for continued delivery of fire prevention tasks within the City; and will make recommendations to the Fire Chief on mandated changes to guidelines and policies.

Fire Safety Inspections – Fire Inspectors

• The Fire Marshal shall establish a fire safety inspection schedule that meets the goals and objectives of the Department. Inspectors will work to fulfill the inspection schedule based on the stated objectives in this guideline.
• Inspectors will use the Department’s designated Fire Safety Evaluation Report contained in the computerized inspection program to record and provide specific data and general information on possible hazards found in a facility. Prior to serving copies of the report, the Inspector should carefully scan the form line by line to verify that all information is accurate and complete. Information contained on the report should be verbally summarized to the building occupant or property owner; and a copy of the report will be sent electronically, sent via US Mail, or left with said building occupant or property owner. This will ensure the facility occupant or property owner will be aware of the found hazards and corrective actions needed.
• Fire Inspection Reports are to be maintained in accordance with State records retention schedules and shall be stored in the hard copy address files located in the Building Department offices and electronically in the computerized inspection program.

Conflict Resolution

• Should a conflict arise where the fire safety inspection results are objected to by a facility occupant or property owner, the objection shall be referred to Fire Administration.

Enforcement

• This section shall be applicable to the Fire Marshal and/or Fire Inspector(s). The Department has a progressive code enforcement program designed to ensure compliance with applicable fire protection codes.
• After a fire safety inspection and to comply with the requirements for first notice of violation, facility occupants or property representatives/owners shall be briefed on the results of the inspection and review the Fire Safety Evaluation Report contained in the computerized inspection program. The facility occupants or property

representatives/owners shall be afforded ample time and opportunity to remedy hazards noted.

• Upon non-compliance, the facility occupant and/or property owner of record, as contained in the Orange County Property Appraisers data base, may be issued a Notice of Hazard/Violation in accordance with the procedures set forth in FS 162 and Chapter 5.3, Maitland City Code. This notice outlines the specific sections violated of the Maitland City Code and/or Florida Fire Prevention Code; and also outlines potential actions for non-compliance.
• Further non-compliance by business occupants or property owners may result in issuance of a Statement of Violation/Notice of Hearing per the procedures set forth in FS 162 and referral to the Special Magistrate for Code Enforcement hearings.

Report Filing , Entry and Retention

• Any report completed for the purpose of a fire safety inspection shall be filed with the Office of the Fire Marshal of the Maitland Fire Department. Additionally, information pertaining to the issuance of a Notice of Hazard/ Violation, the issuance of a Statement of Violation/Notice of Hearing or the information pertaining to any plans review will be submitted to this division.
• All hard copies of information shall be filed and retained in accordance with Florida Records Retention Schedules.

Plans Review

• All plans that require a life safety code review are submitted through the City’s Building Department to the Office of the Fire Marshal. The Department reviews plans for compliance with the applicable provisions of the Florida Fire Prevention Code and those codes and standards adopted therein. Review is accomplished prior to permitting as required in FS 553.
• All plans will be reviewed by the Fire Marshal or his designee using the appropriate plans review procedures. If discrepancies are found, the person doing the review will generate a list of discrepancies and submit said list to the applicant for needed corrections.
• Plans will be signed off on the Plans Review Tracking Card, which is then filed for record-keeping and tracking purposes. Additionally, the plans review data will be entered into the Building Department’s plan review tracking data base.

Pre-fire Planning

• All existing pre-fire plan information shall be reviewed and update on a periodic basis. The Battalion Chief assigned to schedule monthly training shall identify facilities that are to be reviewed, toured and have their pre-fire plans updated. Said Battalion Chief shall notify the Fire Marshal as to which facilities are to be updated for a given month.
• The Fire Marshal shall arrange appointments with property owners/representatives for the designated facilities that are to receive pre-fire plan reviews. The appointments shall be posted on the FD PL calendar and an e-mail notification of the schedule appointments shall be electronically transmitted to all Operations shifts.
• Pre-fire plan forms shall be downloaded from the Mobile Eyes software program, printed, and utilized to review and tour the designated facilities.
• After completing the pre-fire planning tours and pre-fire plan forms, the forms shall be forwarded to the Operations designee responsible to input the data into the Mobile Eyes Responder program. To insure continuity, only one individual in the Operations branch shall be designated to input the pre-fire plan data. After updating the pre-fire plan data, the Operations designee shall notify the Battalion Chief assigned to schedule monthly training via electronic medium of the input of information.
• In addition to the scheduled pre-fire planning visits, the Fire Marshal shall update the facility data during periodic fire safety inspections, whenever conditions at a given facility change, or information in the data base is found to be inaccurate.

Vacant Buildings

• To ensure vacant buildings are properly secured against unauthorized entry, the Fire Marshal or his/her designee shall visit such properties on a semi-annual basis.
• It shall be the responsibility of the property owner/representative to remove all combustible storage, waste, refuse, and vegetation from the premises. The property owner/representative shall lock, barricade, or otherwise secure the building or premises to prohibit entry by unauthorized persons.
• All fire protection systems shall be maintained in service in vacant buildings, unless otherwise approved by the Fire Chief or Fire Marshal.
• With said approval, the fire protection and/or fire alarm systems in a vacant building shall be permitted to be removed from service.
• Where required by the Fire Chief or Fire Marshal, other systems or components pertaining to fire protection shall be maintained.
• When water-based fire protection systems are required to be kept in service in a vacant building, it will be acceptable to have the system inspected and tested on an annual basis following the procedures set forth in NFPA 25 as adopted in the Florida Fire Prevention Code current edition.
• For those facilities found unsecured or in violation of requirements pertaining to vacant buildings, the property owner/representative shall be notified in accordance with the procedures set forth in Section 2.4 Enforcement.