Background

Fire Safety Inspection is an important risk management tool in prevention of hazards and losses. Section 26(1) of the Fire Services Act requires that municipal governments provide procedure for regular inspection of Hotels and public buildings in the municipality. Section (38)c of the Fire Services Act states that, "A Municipal Council must provide for a regular system of inspection by an officer of buildings in the Municipality."

Policy/Objective

• The Council for the Town of Fort Nelson and the Board of the Northern Rockies Regional District recognizes the importance of a Fire Inspection Program in minimizing property damage and enhancing life safety in buildings within the municipality.
• The Council and Board has determined that Fire Inspections provide for pre-fire planning of buildings to further enhance life safety for both the public sector and for firefighters.
• The Fire Inspection Program will be regular, fair, and adequate with consideration to the age, condition, and occupancy of the building based on the "Interpretive Guide and Criteria for Determining Frequency of Inspections," as attached to and forming part of this policy.

• Frequency of Inspections shall be based on the following considerations:
• Occupancy of the building
• Comparative Fire Risk
• Age and Condition of Building
• Cooperation of owner/occupant

The above criteria for establishing the frequency of regular inspections is subject to revision by the Council/Board, based on yearly budget and personnel considerations.

Implementation

The Fire Chief, with the assistance of the Fire Prevention Staff, shall analyse the buildings in the Town of Fort Nelson and the Northern Rockies Regional District on the basis of the predetermined considerations and past history in order to set the logical frequency of inspection for each building. Although the Fort Nelson Fire Department employs the Fire Standards Act recommendation that inspections be conducted no less than on this schedule; it is subject to revision without public notice based on the Council/Board's budget & personnel considerations as adopted from year to year.