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Fire Marshal's Office
The Fire Marshal’s Office has many tasks and works with many different agencies from the private sector as well as the public sector at the local, state, and national levels. The primary responsibility of the Fire Marshal’s Office is to provide fire protection and prevention measures to reduce the threat of fire and fire-related injuries.
Fire prevention measures performed through the Fire Marshal’s Office could not be carried out if not supported by the citizenry living and working in Pitt County, as well as our emergency service volunteer responders. It takes a partnership of everyone working together to help reduce the threat of fire. A common phrase communicated by staff in the Fire Marshal’s Office is, “Fire is real, it does not discriminate, and could happen to you, so please do your part to prevent fire.”
The Fire Marshal’s Office has created and adopted the acronym, “F.I.R.E.S.”, to provide a summary of the tasks that are performed.
Community Partnership
Fire prevention measures performed through the Fire Marshal’s Office could not be carried out if not supported by the citizenry living and working in Pitt County, as well as our emergency service volunteer responders. It takes a partnership of everyone working together to help reduce the threat of fire. A common phrase communicated by staff in the Fire Marshal’s Office is, “Fire is real, it does not discriminate, and could happen to you, so please do your part to prevent fire.”
Tasks
The Fire Marshal’s Office has created and adopted the acronym, “F.I.R.E.S.”, to provide a summary of the tasks that are performed.
- Fire Code Enforcement
- Investigation of Fires
- Review of Blueprints
- Educational Presentations
- Support of Fire Departments
- Fire Code Enforcement
- Investigation of Fires
- Review of Blueprints
- Educational Presentations
- Support of Volunteers
Fire Code Enforcement
The State of North Carolina mandated that all commercial buildings, in addition to other types of buildings, be inspected on a revolving schedule. The purpose of the inspections is to aid in the safeguarding of life and property from fire to buildings, structures, and premises through the North Carolina Fire Code.
Certification
All members of the Fire Marshal’s Office are certified fire inspectors through the State of North Carolina’s Fire Inspection Certification Program.
Investigation of Fires
When fires occur, it is important to determine how and where they start, as they could be accidental or intentionally started. The Fire Marshal’s Office, as well as others in our Emergency Management Department, are on-call 24/7, 365 days a year to respond to fire investigations and other related emergencies.
Working With Other Agencies
In the course of fire investigations, staff works with agencies ranging from the local fire department, local law enforcement, State Bureau of Investigations, Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms as well as private insurance adjusters and investigators.
Review of Blueprints (Building Plans)
Before construction permits can be obtained for most new buildings (or renovations to existing buildings) in many cases the Fire Marshal’s Office must review plans to ensure life safety codes through the North Carolina Fire Code have been addressed. In addition to building construction projects, the Fire Marshal’s Office also reviews proposed subdivision plans to ensure fire hydrant placement and proper emergency vehicle access.
Educational Presentations
During the year, as requests can be met, the Fire Marshal’s Office conducts various fire safety educational presentations on topics such as the use of portable fire extinguishers, home fire safety, evacuation procedures, etc. The target audiences range from businesses, civic groups and, school age students to professional associations.
Support of Volunteer Fire Departments
Pitt County has 20 volunteer fire departments with more than 800 firefighters. These individuals that volunteer are true professionals giving time to help their fellow citizens. Emergencies can occur any time of the day, and these individuals must be prepared to respond. This often means time away from work and family and other scheduled activities. When they are not responding to emergency calls, they spend time training, and attending meetings, all in an effort to help protect their community regardless of the circumstances.
More Information
The Fire Marshal’s Office, along with the entire Emergency Management Department, supports the administrative and response needs of the departments. If you have fire prevention related questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Fire Marshal’s Office as we stand prepared to assist in any way possible to help reduce the threat of fire and fire-related injuries.