Safety and Buildings Division Fire Prevention Program

NEWS See the full list, PDF file, of Fire Department 2% Dues scheduled 2009 payments to Wisconsin municipalities.  The 2% Dues program is supported by fire insurance premiums paid in Wisconsin, with the money intended for uses related to specific fire department activities. Question and Answer page for Fire Prevention Code issues. The most recent question looks at fire prevention inspections for public or private day care centers for 8 or fewer children that are not in a one- or 2-family dwelling. This is one of several questions relating to Comm 14.01 and residential adult-care, residential community-based and child-care facilities.  A new brochure outlines the requirements for installing smoke alarms in owner-occupied homes, rental homes and other residential buildings in Wisconsin. Download the PDF file of SB-8282, "Smoke Alarms in Wisconsin." This brochure replaces "Making Wisconsin Nights Safer." Changes to Comm 10, Flammable, Combustible and Hazardous Liquids, became effective February 1, 2009. The new regulations: Adopt the latest national standards, remove obsolete deadlines and streamline administrative processes. Add new environmental protection requirements that deal with tank systems and re-commissioining of out-of-service corrosion protection systems. Allow certain types of fueling from movable tanks. Discontinue regulation of small containers for flammable combustible and hazardous liquids. (This regulation is now part of Comm 14.) The Department's Environmental and Regulatory Services (ERS) Division conducted the comprehensive update of Comm 10. The rules were adopted and published in the November 30, 2008, Wisconsin Administrative Register with a 2-month delayed effective date. The ERS Division and the Wisconsin Petroleum Equipment Contractors Association held training sessions on the rule changes in January and February. Register, November, 2008, Comm 10, Flammable, Combustible and Hazardous Liquids, PDF file. Revised SBD-11 Wisconsin School District Record of Fire / Tornado / Other Evacuation Drills (R10/08), PDF file Fire Prevention Information Especially for People With Disabilities GO

Program Description: The Safety and Buildings Division Fire Prevention Program provides services related to fire prevention and to the administration of the Two Percent Fire Dues Program. Staff also provide assistance to fire chiefs in Wisconsin in support of fire prevention inspections. Also see Fire Protection Systems Program, Fire Department Safety and Health Program, and Commercial Buildings Program. 1. Fire Prevention Program contacts GO 2. Fire Prevention Program forms GO 3. National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) info GO 4. Fire Prevention Code information in a Question and Answer (Q&A) format GO 5. Library of fire prevention information GO 6. Comm 14, Fire Preventon Code GO 7. How to Obtain S&B Codes 8. Email groups have been set up for some S&B programs. You can sign up to receive occasional messages from the Safety and Buildings Division about news that is important to people interested in the S&B Fire Prevention Program. Proposed draft permanent rules changes to Comm 66 and Comm 21 were adopted on April 13, 2009, to replace the emergency rules issued in September 2009 related to installation of carbon monoxide alarms in tourist sleeping rooms under the UDC and to alarms in commercial buildings.   The emergency rules remain in effect, with the permamnet rules effective June 1, 2009. New brochure, PDF file, about requirements for installation of carbon monoxide alarms. According to the 2005 Wisconsin Burning report, Wisconsin fire departments responded to an incident about every 4.6 minutes or a total of 115,236 incidents in 2005. Compiled by the Fire Prevention Program, the report contains data from 537 of Wisconsin's 862 fire departments. This is 59 more fire departments than reported in 2004. Although not a complete picture of the fire departments' role in Wisconsin communities, the 2005 report is a good overview of fire incidents. To learn more, download the 16-page report, PDF file. The Wisconsin Department of Heath Services has developed a web site that contains a wealth of construction-related information for health care facilities. Links are included for submittal of construction plans, business flow charts and tables reflecting responsible parties for reviewing plans, the plan review process, forms, staff contacts, checklists, a plan status tracking site, copies of health care codes, and code interpretations from the Division of Quality Assurance.

- Fire Prevention Coordinators map PDF file

- Listings of fire departments and their chiefs.

- Supervisor of the S&B Fire Prevention Program staff, Robert DuPont, robert.dupont@wisconsin.gov, 608-266-8984

- S&B Fire Prevention Program Manager, Joe Hertel, joe.hertel@wisconsin.gov, 608-266-5649, planning, code, policy, and procedure development

- Comm 14, Fire Prevention Code Advisory Council

S&B National Fire Incident Reporting System contacts:
- Luann Robb, Luann.robb@wisconsin.gov, 608-266-5824
- Audrey Fries (Wed-Thurs 7a.m. - 3:30 p.m.), 608-266-9375, audrey.fries@wisconsin.gov

National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) Web site

NFIRS Bulk Import Procedures, PDF File, Word Document

Fire Incident Reporting: 2007 Wisconsin Act 75 requires fire departments in Wisconsin to report specific building fire incident information within 60 days to the Department of Commerce through use of the National Fire Incident Reporting System. See an analysis of 2007 Senate Bill 436, PDF file. See 2007 Wisconsin Act 75, PDF file. Act effective March 27, 2008. Rules for implementing Act 75 have not been yet created.

** SBD-8568 WIFRS Incident Field Notes (R3/05) PDF file

- An information letter concerning propane storage cylinders, PDF file, October 2006

Official Code Interpretations
- Standard for Spray Application Using Flammable and Combustible Materials (PDF file)
- How to Specify Code References (Word document)
- Responsibilities of Fire Chiefs (Word document)

Forms/Publications

- Brochure, PDF file, about requirements for installation of carbon monoxide alarms

- SBD-8568 WIFRS Incident Field Notes (R3/05) PDF file

- Chief Officer's Guidebook (January 2004) (Word)

- Wisconsin Chief Fire Officer Guidebook (1.39 MB - PDF file)

- Wisconsin Burning 2005 (PDF file)

- Wisconsin Burning 2004 (PDF file) - A printed copy was mailed to each fire department in Wisconsin in late June, 2006. Cover memo about Wisconsin Burning 2004 and 2003 (PDF file).

- Wisconsin Burning 2003 (PDF file)

- SBD-10615a (R03/08) Detailed Fire Prevention Report ("Northwoods") (PDF file)

- Supply Order Form (PDF file)

- Code Change Proposal Form (PDF file

* Fireworks 2007
- Wisconsin Department of Justice, Fireworks in Wisconsin 2007
- Federal CPSC Warns of Deadly Dangers When Consumers Use Illegal Fireworks
- 2003 Wisconsin Act 298
- "Municipal Liability Exemption for Legal Issuance of Fireworks Permits" (PDF file)
- Review of Wisconsin Fireworks Law by Wisconsin Legislative Council, June 2002 (PDF file)

* NFPA offers summer grilling tips to avoid outside fires (PDF file)

County Web sites || City/Town/Village Web sites || State Portal || Build Your Business || List of state agencies

Email or call this page's manager, Norma Sampson, norma.sampson@wisconsin.gov or 608-267-7907.

The Department of Commerce Safety and Buildings Division is an equal opportunity service provider and employer. If you need assistance to access services or need material in an alternate format, please contact us, 608-266-3151, TTY 608-264-8777, or ttaylor@commerce.state.wi.us