The Fire Prevention Division works to reduce fire losses, injuries and deaths in our community through two specific efforts. Our Public Education program is the first aspect, educating people to be fire safe as part of their everyday life. The second aspect is fire prevention through inspections, plan reviews and code compliance. While not as glamourous as fire supression or as fun a public education, Inspection Services are vital to the public safety of the community.

Under the direction of Chief Fire Prevention Officer David Eidsness, who is also our Deputy Fire Chief, the Fire Prevention Division examines plans for a variety of projects proposed in the town. In this way fire protection considerations can be dealt with at the planning stages. The division will review plans for subdivisions, lot creation or severance's, commercial buildings and multiple residence homes, to name but a few.

Inspections of buildings and facilities are carried out on a complaint-or-request basis. Inspections will also occur as a result of situations the firefighters find while dealing with emergencies. We also perform regular inspections of high-risk occupancies. These include such properties as group homes, care facilities, businesses with hazardous processes or situations, to name a few.

The inspections that are carried out deal with code compliance in an effort to reduce injuries and deaths through proper building maintenance and upkeep. This aspect alone keeps this division extremely busy, as an inspection on one building will account for hours of time in paper work, follow-up and in some cases even court time. As a result, any requests for inspections should be submitted well in advance of your requirements so that they can be completed on time. The department has one full-time Fire Prevention Officer to assist with fire inspections.