2008 Fire Master Plan - City of St. Catharines

FIRE4.0FIRE PREVENTION AND PUBLIC EDUCATIONRESCUE4.1 Fire PreventionThe Fire Prevention Division has one (1) Chief Fire Prevention Officer who oversees the operations of the FirePrevention division. Under him is one (1) Senior Fire Inspector who oversees plan reviews, building permits andassist Junior Fire Inspectors out in the field. He oversees the operations within Fire Prevention in the absence ofthe Chief Fire Prevention Officer. The remaining staff include 6 PFST/ Fire Inspectors and one (1) clerk typist.The Province of Ontario and the Office of the Fire Marshal have recognized that Fire Prevention is essential toreducing fire death, fire injuries and fire losses in Ontario. This recognition has been translated into legislationthrough the Fire Protection and Prevention Act (FPPA) that states “Every municipality shall establish a program in themunicipality which must include public education with respect to fire safety and certain components of fire prevention”Given this mandate the fire prevention division is meeting all theprescribed requirements of the FPPA by creating and supporting:• A comprehensive public education program,• Implementing fire prevention activities through complaint, request and routine fire inspection• Conducting fire investigations.• Alarmed for Life Smoke Alarm and Public Education Program• Pre-fire Planning ProgramTo further enhance the prescribed requirements the fire prevention division has established the followingobjectives to ensure that we meet all our assigned responsibilities proficiently and accurately:• Public education• Fire code inspection,• Fire investigation• Staff roles, training and certification• Policy and Procedure guide• Integrated Electronic Data Base Tracking and Control• Other assigned dutiesThe Fire Prevention Division is also responsible for specific buildingcode duties as defined in By-Law 2005-319 that include:• Plans review – review and approve all drawings submitted for new construction andrenovations that detail items identified under the by-law• Conduct inspections during the building process to clear all by-law relatedinstallations or renovations.• Prepare and submit to the Chief Building Official complaints and orders identifiedwhile conducting fire prevention activities.A senior member of the fire prevention division is a member of the development committee and must attendmeetings, review and approve all site plans, subdivision agreements and applications to committee of adjustment.MASTER FIRE PLAN 2008 23