TFRD Procedures & Guides

_{Last Modified: 09/01/2024 07:32}

Export Article II to PDF
Export -Entire A Manual- to PDF

Section 1 - Authority

A. The Fire Prevention Bureau shall be under the direction and control of a Deputy Chief and shall be composed of such Department personnel as may be assigned thereto by the Fire Chief. They shall have the authority to perform the duties and responsibilities as outlined in Section 2 below.

B. Subject to the approval of the Fire Chief, the Deputy Chief in charge of the Fire Prevention Bureau shall establish and regulate the working hours of all personnel assigned to the Fire Prevention Bureau consistent with statutory requirements or agreements.

C. The Deputy Chief in charge of the Fire Prevention Bureau shall report to the Fire Chief.

Section 2 - Duties and Responsibilities

The Deputy Chief, Fire Prevention Bureau, shall have the following duties and responsibilities:

A. The Deputy Chief shall have general control of the inspection of buildings, structures, and premises for fire hazards and the enforcement of the Fire Prevention Code and such other regulations as provided in the ordinances of the City of Toledo and the State of Ohio.

B. The Deputy Chief shall keep such records and submit such reports and recommendations as may be needed to properly inform the Fire Chief and other concerned authorities as to the nature and extent of such fires and fire losses as may occur, together with the status of inspections, investigations, or other work performed by the Fire Prevention Bureau.

C. The Deputy Chief may cause, at any reasonable hour, any building or premise under their jurisdiction to be entered for the purpose of making an inspection or investigation, should they deem it necessary, pursuant to the provisions of the laws of the City of Toledo and the State of Ohio.

D. The Deputy Chief shall cause to be inspected, as procedure dictates, such buildings, structures or premises as they may deem especially hazardous. Should such inspection reveal any condition or hazard as to endanger life or property unduly, they shall issue orders to the person responsible for such conditions requiring that the condition be removed, eliminated or remedied.

E.

• 1. The Deputy Chief shall cause all buildings, structures and premises, except private dwellings, to be inspected for the purpose of ascertaining and causing to be corrected, any condition liable to cause fire or any violations of the laws of the City of Toledo or the State of Ohio concerning fire hazards.

• 2. The Deputy Chief may oversee a periodic voluntary residential inspection program to include smoke detector ordinance compliance, elements of home fire safety and hazard abatement.

F. The Deputy Chief shall cause the investigation of all fires occurring in the City of Toledo where property has been destroyed or damaged. The purpose of such investigation shall be to determine whether the fire was of accidental or deliberate origin, and shall be initiated immediately by the incident commander or their designee. Every fire shall be reported to the Fire Prevention Bureau by the incident commander or their designee, using the forms provided and relating as many of the facts concerning the fire as may be required or deemed pertinent.

G. The Deputy Chief shall cause a record to be kept of all fires and the facts concerning them, including the estimates of damage and actual loss incurred, as determined by the fire insurance companies involved, if any. Such records shall be made daily from the reports of the line officers and shall be available to the public as required by the Public Records Act. They shall cause all fire incident records to be entered as data for the National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS). This data shall be forwarded to the State Fire Marshal as required by that office.

H.

• 1. The Deputy Chief shall, subject to the approval of higher authority, have the power to prescribe reasonable rules and regulations, consistent with existing ordinances, relating to the storage, handling, and use of explosives, combustible materials, and flammable liquids. They shall issue such special permits as required by code.

• 2. The Deputy Chief shall oversee the Office of Chemical Preparedness and Community Right to Know.

• 3. Consistent with existing ordinance language, state, and federal regulations they shall have the power to prescribe reasonable rules and regulations relating to the manufacture, use, transportation and storage of hazardous materials.

I. The Deputy Chief shall in conjunction with the office of Building Inspection cause all plans to be reviewed insofar as the Fire Code shall dictate.

J. In cooperation with the Department of Environmental Health, they shall cause the inspection of such property as may be determined by the Toledo Municipal Code, i.e. sanitary landfills, demolition landfills, etc.

K. The Deputy Chief shall oversee the Underground Storage Tank (UST) Program as delegated authority in the City of Toledo as determined and empowered by the Office of State Fire Marshal. They shall cause a list to be maintained showing all certified contractors involved in the installation, upgrading, retrofitting, and removal of U.S.T.'s.

L. The Deputy Chief shall establish a fee schedule for all properties requiring a special inspection. Each such property shall be notified of the inspection and subsequent fee schedule as it pertains to that property. Records of said inspections shall be forwarded to the office of the Treasurer, City of Toledo.

M. The Deputy Chief shall be responsible for maintaining an office of fire investigations. That office shall be designated the Fire Investigation Unit (F.I.U.). The F.I.U. shall investigate any fire deemed necessary by the Incident Commander or higher authority to determine cause and origin. If the cause is determined to be arson every attempt shall be made to prosecute to the full extent of the law.

N. The Deputy Chief shall maintain an Office of Public Fire Education.

O. The Deputy Chief shall compile and submit to the Fire Chief an annual report as outlined under the Toledo Municipal Code including such statistics as higher authority requests.

P. The Deputy Chief shall compile and issue, for use by other Fire Department personnel, bulletins and operating methods outlining inspection practices and procedures to be followed to ensure the most efficient and effective use of Fire Department personnel regarding Fire Code inspection.

Q. In conjunction with the Fire Training Bureau, they shall assist in instructing and training Fire Department members in the proper methods and procedures of fire inspecting, the completion of the necessary inspection forms, and the special hazards to be looked for while an inspection is being made.

R. The Deputy Chief shall be responsible for the conduct, efficiency and discipline of the personnel assigned to the Fire Prevention Bureau.

S. The Deputy Chief shall perform such other duties as may be prescribed by higher authority.