Fire Prevention

	Battalion Chief James Clinkscales	Fire Marshal
	Sherina Ferrell	Public Life and Fire Safety Educator
	Lieutenant Dereck Willis	Fire Inspector/Fire Investigator

Purpose

The Fire Prevention Division is responsible for providing many different customer service responsibilities to the City of Valdosta.

Services

• Pre-construction site plan review
• Construction final inspections
• Fire Code Enforcement
• Issue violations notice where appropriate
• Conducts fire inspection and re-inspection of existing businesses
• Handle citizen complaints regarding fire safety hazards
• Fire Investigations
• Fire Safety Education
• Teaches fire and life safety classes to include Fire Extinguishers
• Conducts free home smoke alarm giveaway program.
• Assists parents with child safety seat installation.
• Coordinates neighborhood fire watch programs.
• Jr. Fire Marshal Program
• Youth Firesetter Prevention Program
• Home Safety Survey Inspections
• Certificate of Occupancy Inspections

Code Enforcement

The Fire Prevention Bureau enforces applicable provisions of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), Life Safety Code, International Building Code, and the City of Valdosta Code of Ordinances for the public.

The Bureau conducts annual fire inspections on commercial buildings to assure the building meet all requirements, of national, state, and local codes.

Plan Review

The Fire Prevention Division also reviews all new and existing building plans for construction services. All plans are examined to assure that they meet all requirements of national, state, and local codes. Once the plans are reviewed and the construction site is inspected, fire system tested and approved, a certificate of occupancy is issued.

Fire Investigation

The Fire Investigator handles all investigations of suspicious and arson fires within the City of Valdosta. The Fire Investigator responds to incidents involving:

• Fires believed to be intentionally set
• Fires involving juveniles
• Fires involving fatality
• Fires involving high dollar loss
• Acts of terrorism (i.e. fire bombing, structural sabotage)
• Hazardous Condition of an occupancy representing an immediate threat to life safety (i.e. assembly overcrowding, blocked exits, building collapse, compromised fire protection and detection systems, etc)