JFRD's Role in Commercial Fire Inspections
The Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department (JFRD) is committed to the safety of all businesses and residences. Under local and state laws, businesses must comply with a variety of applicable fire codes. These codes exist to protect you, your customers, as well as your business and property. In Duval County, JFRD’s Fire Marshal enforces these codes through on-site inspections conducted
only by JFRD personnel.
During an inspection, JFRD personnel will evaluate whether conditions at a business site are safe or if there are issues that are liable to cause a fire or endanger lives and property as a result of fire. If these conditions do exist, JFRD personnel will advise the business immediately and consult with the owner/manager or designee about correcting these problems in a reasonable timeframe so the business will be safer and in compliance with fire codes.
JFRD and Fire Safety Have Different Roles
- JFRD does not endorse or recommend any fire safety company or product.
- JFRD does not sell fire safety equipment.
- During an inspection, JFRD will evaluate some equipment that you may have purchased from a fire safety company, such as a fire extinguisher or exit sign, because the location and working condition of this equipment is directly related to fire code compliance.
- Fire safety companies cannot legally enforce fire codes or perform fire safety inspections authorized under state and local laws.
- JFRD inspectors cannot test or certify the functionality of fire extinguishers or other fire suppression systems. That process is conducted by whichever fire safety company the business chooses.
- JFRD can make you aware that you may bring your fire extinguisher(s) to a fire safety company for testing/certification. This option is often less expensive than on-site testing/certification.
Look for JFRD's Emblem
You will always be able to recognize JFRD inspectors by their uniform which includes the department’s patch on the left sleeve. Inspectors also carry department identification badges, which are predominantly red and include the inspector’s photo.
State and Local Laws about Commercial Fire Inspections
JFRD's Authority to Inspect and Charge Fees
The State of Florida and the City of Jacksonville have enacted laws regarding commercial fire inspections and fees charged for conducting inspections. Florida Statute 633 is Florida’s Fire Prevention and Control code. It gives local municipalities statewide the authority to inspect and enforce fire safety requirements. Please visit
http://www.leg.state.fl.us/Statutes/ and search for Chapter 633 to view the entire code.
The City of Jacksonville and the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department’s Fire Marshal have adopted Florida Statute Chapter 633, and the city has also enacted two local laws or ordinances which cover JFRD’s right to enter businesses for fire inspection purposes (Jacksonville Ordinance Chapter Section 420.104) and the schedule of fees associated with these inspections (Jacksonville Ordinance Chapter Section 123.102).
The statutes and ordinances are highly detailed, and we understand businesses may have further questions. Feel free to contact the Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department’s Fire Marshal at 904-255-3286 during normal business hours.
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