October 9-15 is Fire Prevention Week The City of Rockville's Fire Marshal enforces the City code and the State of Maryland Fire Prevention Code to keep residents safe in their homes and protect property owners from losses to fire.
Install and Inspect Smoke Alarms
A working smoke alarm is the best way of alerting residents to a fire. A smoke alarm with a dead or missing battery is the same as no smoke alarm at all.
According to the National Fire Protection Association, in 2003-2006, almost two-thirds of home fire deaths resulted from fires in homes with no smoke alarms or no working smoke alarms. No smoke alarms were present in 40 percent of the home fire deaths and in 23 percent of the home fire deaths, smoke alarms were present, but did not sound.
Smoke alarms should be located outside of all sleeping areas, and on each level of the home, including basements. For additional protection, it is recommended that smoke alarm be installed inside of all sleeping areas, as is required in new homes. Smoke alarms should be installed in accordance with the manufacturers installation instructions and tested at least once a month. Batteries in smoke detectors should be change, at a minimum, once a year.
Install Fire Sprinklers
Installing and maintaining residential fire sprinklers is also important to helping save lives. When both smoke alarms and fire sprinklers are present in a home, the risk of dying in a fire is reduced by 82 percent, when compared to a residence without either.
The City code requires fire sprinklers to be installed in all new homes and additions where the added gross square floor area exceeds 110 percent of the existing gross floor area or the total area added exceeds 1,500 gross square feet. A sprinkler system is also required, regardless of the total square footage added, if a house with an existing sprinkler system is expanded. Fire Safety Information Learn More
Visit these local and national organizations to learn more about steps you can take to prevent fires.
Obtain Permits and Inspections
Fire inspections are required for any construction project for which a fire code plan review has been conducted or for any project for which a Fire Protection Systems (FPS) permit is required. Building Permits will have a Fire Code Plan Review comments sheet attached, usually to the plan set cover sheet, or noted "Subject to field inspection by fire marshal."
All fire protection system work requires an FPS permit and an inspection.
Fire inspections are required for initial license or license renewal for day care homes and centers, nursing homes, and automotive repair facilities.
Call 240 314-5041 to request a fire code inspection.
Learn More Visit these Web sites to learn more about fire code requirements, inspections and permits. Fire lanes are a portion of a road, street, parking lot, or other vehicular pathway, that is provided for fire department use in responding to fires and other emergencies that may take place in a building. The use of a fire lane for parking, loading/unloading, or any other activity that may inhibit the full and free use of the fire lane by the fire department, is prohibited and subject to a parking citation and fine. Building owners and property managers may request area an be evaluated for designation as a fire lane by contacting the Inspection Services Division at 240-314-8240 or by emailing RockvilleFireMarshal@rockvillemd.gov, and completing the necessary forms contained in the Rockville Fire Lane Sign Requirements Information Packet. Please note that any cost for modifications to the site necessary for appropriate marking of a proposed fire lane will be the responsibility of the individual or organization requesting the fire lane evaluation.
Inspection Services Division
City of Rockville
111 Maryland Avenue
Rockville, MD 20850
Hours of Operation: 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
The office is located on the second floor of the Rockville City Hall building.
Phone: 240-314-8240
Fax: 240-314-8265
E-mail: permits@rockvillemd.gov or rockvillefiremarshal@rockvillemd.gov
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