Fire prevention is an important aspect of fire department operations. A fire inspector will visit businesses to perform a fire inspection with the intention of locating items within your building that are hazardous or have the real potential to cause fire or injury. State of Wisconsin Legislative Code SPS 314 requires local fire departments to perform and record fire inspections, work with business owners to ensure hazards are corrected and provide education about fire safety. The State of Wisconsin has adopted National Fire Protection Association Code 1 (NFPA 1 - 2012 edition) as a guideline for fire departments to follow when performing inspections. Businesses, by law, are required to adhere to the standards in the adopted edition of NFPA, supplemental fire codes adopted by the state as well as local ordinances regarding fire safety.
Typically visits are unannounced so that normal operating practices are assumed. A fire inspector will be respectful of your operating hours and customers and will do his best to avoid peak times to avoid disruption.
Below are informative links to help answer some of your questions about common items dealt with during your inspections. Each link below contains pages providing information specific to your questions. Additional information pages are added periodically. If you have further questions or did not find the information you were looking for, please contact a Fire Inspector by calling the station (608) 437-5571, selection 1 or email at inspections@fdmh.org