Fire Prevention
The Fire Prevention division is responsible for public fire safety education, inspection duties, code enforcement and plans review. This division also receives many requests each year from citizens, industry, businesses, organizations and community groups for fire safety presentations. There are many fire safety and prevention publications available for your information.
Fire Prevention programs include:
- Learn Not to Burn - fire safety presentation for elementary school children
- Hazard House - a portable house that creates fire hazard awareness for all ages
- Evacuation Planning - educating businesses, schools and citizens on developing evacuation plans for homes and workplaces
- Sparky the Fire Dog - SJRFD mascot who makes fire prevention fun for kids
Scheduled Building Inspections
Reactive Inspections
Public Education
Special Public Events
Scheduled Building Inspections
Building inspections are the primary focus of the Fire Prevention division, which are scheduled to ensure life safety code compliance. From churches, garages, night clubs, grocery stores, places of public assembly and industrial complexes, occupancies are visited in order of priority. The occupancy is inspected for potential safety issues, or to seek ways to improve safety. The SJRFD works closely with clients to ensure there is a clear understanding for the need for fire safety.
Reactive Inspections
The Fire Prevention division frequently receives inquiries from concerned citizens on fire safety topics. Requests also come from Fire Officers who have discovered a problem related to a fire call, or the building departments of the municipalities we serve. Often assistance may be requested in support of a departmental initiative such as a “draft hydrant” being checked by a fire crew and an Inspector. Other reactive inspections include requests for home oxygen systems, burning permits, outdoor event applications and public assembly capacity calculations. Such requests are assessed, assigned a priority standing and delegated to staff for resolution.
Public Education
Many hours are spent informing the public on how to stay safe in the home or workplace, how to write or improve escape plans with a focus on reducing the risk of fire and threat to safety. The Fire Prevention division has a mandate to educate clients in all aspects of fire and life safety. The “Learn Not to Burn Program” in particular has proven to be very successful. This is an internationally recognized program aimed at primary/elementary students and delivered as part of their school curriculum. The division has an excellent teaching aid called the “Hazard House” that generates positive feedback from students, parents and teachers. Students are presented with safety in the home, then are asked to develop a Fire Safety Plan for their own home and return it to school. Students who complete and submit the plan, receive a certificate of participation and participant card from the SJRFD. Other components of public education include the proper use of extinguishers, placement of smoke and fire alarms, evacuation plans and interpretation of safety codes. There are many fire safety and prevention publications available for your information.
Special Public Events
Fire Inspectors are invited to attend many events within the Region. They are readily available to speak with the public and answer questions related to fire and life safety. These events are enjoyed by our staff as the public appreciates meeting and talking with them about their own safe living concepts. Children are always welcome at our booths. Our information and handouts are age appropriate and deliver a message of safety to children. The Fire Prevention and Training Divisions have also combined resources to deliver an even more dynamic message aimed at fire and safety education.