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HomeMy WebLinkAboutUPDATE re Office of the Fire Marshal - updated slidesDepartment of Community Development Fire Marshal Update MARCH 9, 2026 Jeremy Williammee, Director Brian Tracer, Deputy Fire Marshal Today’s Agenda 1.Community Development & Public Safety 2.Fire Marshal Roles & Responsibilities 3.Current Operations & Staffing 4.Commercial Inspection Program 5.Short-Term Rental Program 6.Partnerships & Interlocal Agreements 7.Moving Forward Communit y Development & Public Safet y Fire Danger & Seasonal Safety Declare high fire hazard conditions Implement burn restrictions and safety measures Count y Fire Marshal Authorit y & Responsibilities Fire & Life Safety Oversight Fire safety inspections Fire code plan review Safe building occupancy Address & road naming Administration & Coordination Enforce County fire safety regulations Regional coordination with fire districts Develop policies and interlocal agreements Fire Investigation & Prevention Fire investigations Prevention & public outreach Coordinate with fire districts, insurance, and law enforcement *Fire Marshal authority established by Jefferson County Code (JCC 2.40.020 and JCC 15.05.020). Current Fire Marshal Organization Community Development Director* County Fire Marshal (per JCC 2.40) Deputy Fire Marshal (0.8 FTE) Building/Fire Inspector (Clerk Hire) Statutory Authority & Program Oversight Fire Inspections Inspection Assistance Interagency & Regional Coordination Fire Investigations Field Support Fire Code Enforcement Administrative Coordination Coordination with Fire Districts & Sheriff *Director currently serving as Fire Marshal to ensure continuity of statutory responsibilities. Activity Summary - 2025 🔥 Fire Safety Inspections & Plan Review 14 commercial inspections 24 fire plan reviews (alarms, sprinklers) 78 address permits 29 Short Term Rentals (20+ in progress) 🔎 Fire & Arson Investigations 31 fire investigations 22 structure fires – including 1 fatality 9 wildland fire investigations 🌲 Burn Restrictions & Seasonal Safety Monitored fire danger levels Implemented burn restrictions Fireworks & burn safety outreach 5 calls for service — July 4th 🤝 Coordination & Administration 18 code compliance cases 30+ public records requests processed Interdepartmental Program & Grant Support Energy Efficiency Housing Stock Plans Coordinated Water System Plan Commercial Fire Safety Inspection Program Program Experience to Date Commercial inspection program established by County Code (JCC 15.05.046) Voluntary participation has resulted in limited coverage Estimated 300+ commercial properties Operational Principle Inspections must be regular and schedulable to be sustainable within existing staffing levels Scheduled inspection program replaces prior voluntary participation to achieve consistent countywide coverage Fiscal Reality Commercial inspections and Short-Term Rental inspections are the primary cost-recoverable Fire Marshal activities Core life-safety functions (investigations, burn restrictions, education) are general fund-supported public safety responsibilities Program established by Ordinance No. 43-0407-25R and regulations incorporated into code (JCC 18.20.210) Initial implementation relied primarily on voluntary compliance Participation levels have remained low relative to estimated STR activity countywide Program Experience to Date Support fair, consistent, enforcement countywide Align STR inspections with commercial life-safety standards Operational Principle STR inspections are one the few Fire Marshal functions authorize for cost recovery Cost recovery support life-safety inspectation capacity within exisiting general fund resources Fiscal Reality Short-Term Rental Program County Fire Marshal retains statutory authority under County Code and State Fire Code ILAs support service delivery but do not transfer regulatory authority Agreements emphasize exchange of services and mutual support Operational Framework Current priority is cooperative, like-for-like service agreements to support regional capacity rather than fee-for-service contracting Financial Approach Strengthen coordination between County, fire districts, and regional partners Support consistent fire and life-safety delivery Formalize cooperation already occuring operationally Provide mutual aid and professional coverage when needed Purpose Fire investigation coverage and backup support Incident communication and coordination protocols Training opportunities and professional development Joint public eduction and prevention outreach Technical consultation and operational support Areas of Cooperation Partnership & Interlocal Agreements Life-Safety Authority & Services Risk-Based Inspection Program Regional Interlocal Agreements Fiscal Discipline & Cost Recovery Fire Marshal Services in 2026