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Certificate of Use
Inspections
Plans Review Section
New Construction Section
Fire Investigation
Section
Water Supply Section
Special Events Section
Specialty Inspectors
The Fire Prevention Bureau
was started on January 1, 1923 under Assistant
Chief E. A. Westra and one assigned fire
inspector. The rapid growth of the City of Miami
followed, and by World War II a total force of
10 inspectors was assigned to the bureau.
However, it was not until 1966 when ten people
died in a residential fire involving an
overturned portable kerosene heater that the
City Administration passed a fire code.
Ordinance 7431 became “the fire protection
chapter”. We now enforce extensive state and
local fire and life safety codes.
Although never as glamorous
or visible as Fire Suppression, the efforts of
the Fire Prevention Division are more widely
recognized as the Fire Service continuous to
evolve. The Fire Marshall has the tremendous
responsibility for prevention of death,
injuries, and property loss caused by fire. This
is accomplished through the strict enforcement
of complex Building, Fire and Life Safety Codes.
The importance of these
efforts and the significant life safety
improvements that have been made over the last
few decades were brought to national attention
with the tragic events of September 11th.
Both World Trade Center towers withstood the
initial impact of a catastrophic event, well
beyond what the buildings were designed to
handle.
Modern building codes, public education,
and life safety systems all worked together to
allow countless people to evacuate safely.
The City of Miami Fire
Prevention Division consists of a Fire Marshall,
Deputy Fire Marshall, Assistant to the Fire
Marshall, Water Supply Officer, Special Events
Officer, Arson Coordinator and three Fire
Investigators, two District Supervisors,
district fire inspectors, specialty inspectors,
new construction inspectors, and plans
reviewers. Fire Inspectors handle countless
referrals from Fire Companies, Hazard Warning
Tags, and other Departments and provide the
public with Fire Prevention and Life Safety
information. Additionally, the Fire Prevention
Bureau administers the Certificate of Use
Renewal program. The program provides for an
annual inspection of all existing buildings for
the required life safety code violations.
Certificate of Use
Inspections
Tens of thousands of
Certificate of Use inspections are conducted
throughout the City on a yearly basis. These
actions generate significant new and recurring
revenue for the City. Moreover, these
inspections also ensure the safety of the
citizens, owners, employees, and the
firefighters of the City of Miami.
Plans Review Section
The Fire Plans Examiners
review sets of plans for remodeling and new
construction throughout the City of Miami. These
plans include high rise buildings, large scale
preliminary reviews, and special consultation
reviews.
New Construction Section
New Construction conducts
highly technical inspections, ensuring that all
phases of buildings under construction meet the
required Fire and Life Safety Codes. This
section has brought to completion major projects
such as : the American Airlines Arena, the Ritz
Carlton Condominiums, the NAP Telecommunications
Center, the Performing Arts Center, and numerous
High Rises during the City’s building boom of
the late 1990’s and early millennium.
Fire Investigation
Section
This section is dispatched
to property fires and conduct follow-up
investigations on other types of classified
fires. Our investigators act as liaisons with
various law enforcement and investigative
agencies. They train new officers and recruits
in origin and cause determination as well as
scene preservation. They are responsible for
proper evidence collection and chain of custody,
make contact and follow-up with insurance
company representatives in relation to fires,
prepare for pre-file conferences and depositions
on criminal and civil cases, and prosecute all
criminal cases to the full extent of the law.
Water Supply Section
The Water Supply Officer is
primarily responsible for ensuring that adequate
water flow is available by enforcement of the
Dade County Fire Flow Ordinance. Duties
encompass reviewing building plans and
conducting water flow tests prior to the issuing
of a building permit. In addition to monitoring
these yearly flow tests, placing new hydrants in
service, conducting water main improvement
projects, water main plan reviews, and plat and
street reviews, the Water Supply Officers
developed an updated Hydrant Map Bok.
Special Events Section
The Special Events Officer
is the Fire Department liaison with all event
promoters. He works from the “idea” stage to the
inception of all special events held within the
City of Miami such as Calle Ocho, Goombay,
America’s Birthday Bash, American Airlines Arena
events, Performing Arts Center events, Ultra
Festival, and Art Basel. He is responsible for
the proper assignment of all necessary fire and
rescue units and inspectors at these events.
Specialty Inspectors
This section performs more
complex inspections involving hazardous
materials, hospital and correctional
institutions, assisted living facilities, City
facilities, schools and ancillary buildings,
Code Enforcement cases, as well as code research
and training. These inspectors have highly
specialized job duties and more technical job
knowledge and experience.
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