Fire Department - Prevention

Fire Official: Garrett M. Giberson
Fire Inspector: Tee Gates

Download Permit Application

The Asbury Park Fire Department's Bureau of Prevention is primarily responsible for enforcing the New Jersey Uniform Fire Safety Act and the New Jersey Uniform Fire Code. As part of its duties, the Bureau must investigate the cause and origin of fires within the City of Asbury Park. The Bureau also conducts various Fire Prevention educational activities throughout the year.

The NJ Uniform Fire Act requires that all buildings, with the exception of 1 and 2 family owner occupied dwellings, be inspected at least once a year. Under the Fire Act, all structures and occupancies are classified as either “Life Hazard” or “Non-Life Hazard” according to a schedule in the Act which weighs various hazards and risks of the occupancy to determine whether a serious risk to life exists in the occupancy.

Those occupancies classified as Life Hazards must be registered with the State of New Jersey and may be subject to more frequent inspections by the Bureau.
It is important to note that fire inspections are not required to be scheduled in advance, and in fact, the NJ Uniform Fire Act specifically allows inspections to be made “at all reasonable times” and provides penalties and other remedies for refusal to permit an inspection.

The Fire Department offers free Fire Safety Education presentations to various groups such as tenant organizations, civic organizations, building employees, health care providers and business groups. These presentations will teach the basics of fire safety or can be tailored to address a specific topic. If you would like the Fire Department to make a presentation about fire safety, please contact the office during normal business hours. Please allow ample lead time to accommodate scheduling.

FIRE INSPECTIONS & SAFETY PERMITS

What to Expect During a Fire Inspection:

The inspector will introduce him or herself, present identification and inform you of the purpose of the inspection, i.e. annual fire inspection. The inspector will ask you for any required paperwork such as a sprinkler and/or fire alarm inspection report. The inspector will then proceed to inspect the entire occupancy. A representative of the occupant is requested to accompany the inspector. The representative should have keys or other methods to access all areas to facilitate the inspection. During the inspection, the inspector will point out violations and corrective requirements.

The most common violations found are:

• Exit and emergency lighting out
• Fire extinguisher annual inspection due
• Poor housekeeping, excess rubbish
• Merchandise stacked too high, unstable piles
• Improper use of extension cords
• Fire doors chocked open
• Improper storage of propane
• Utility access blocked (gas meters, electrical panels)
• Range hoods and ducts not cleaned

After the inspection is complete, you will receive a written report of all violations found and an “Order to Correct” notice. A reasonable time is provided to abate all violations based on the violation and its severity. In the case of certain serious violations, you may be ordered to correct them immediately. If the violation is deemed to be an “Imminent Hazard”, the premises may be closed down until the hazard is corrected. The Bureau will conduct a  re-inspection after the issuance of the violation notice. It is expected that all violations will have been corrected at that time. Failure to correct all violations may result in the issuance of a penalty. If all violations have been corrected, a “Certificate of Satisfactory Compliance” will be sent to you.

Please feel free to contact the fire prevention bureau for specific inspection fees.

Information Regarding Fire Safety Permits:

The NJ Uniform Fire Act provides that certain hazardous activities require a permit to be issued by the local Fire Official before commencement of the activity. Permits are occupancy and event specific. While the list of permit uses is extensive, the most common permits issued are for cooking, occasional welding and the use of torches by roofers.

Permits are issued at the Fire Prevention Office during normal business hours. Generally, permit applications should be submitted at least 7 days prior to the event. You are strongly advised to call before coming to the office for a permit as we may be in the field on inspections.

Fire Prevention Resources

 Fire Home

Fire