Prevention & Code Enforcement

Pictured: Dickie Walls, Fire Marshal

This branch deals with the enforcement of N.F.P.A. 1 and N.F.P.A. 101 Fire Prevention and Life Safety Codes. The Fire Marshall is in charge of this branch of the department and is the legal authority for the enforcement activities of said office which is derived from N.F.P.A. Codes, State laws, and City ordinances.

The Fire Prevention /Code Enforcement Division of the Murray Fire Department is responsible for promoting fire safety and securing compliance with local and state fire prevention codes and regulations. This office is under the direction of the Fire Marshall. The responsibilities of this division are to inspect buildings for fire safety, securing compliance with fire prevention laws, investigate fire cause and origin, public fire prevention programs, fire run records, and assist in review of plans and specifications for new construction. Other code enforcement activities not necessarily related to fire prevention can be enforced through this office which pertains to other local ordinances, specifically the City of Murray Property Maintenance code.

This division consists of one officer and secretary. The officer works a 40-hour week schedule, but is on call to fight fires and investigate fire origin and cause. The secretary works a 40-hour week and her duties include work for both this office of code enforcement and the Fire Chief.

At present there are 817 commercial and other regulated buildings to be inspected in the City of Murray which currently exist in the department’s rotating inspection file. However there are many buildings yet to be added. The codes used for inspection include Kentucky Building Codes, Fire Prevention Code, Life Safety Code, Property Maintenance Code and other local ordinances.

The Murray Fire Department is a deputized department by the Kentucky Fire Marshal’s office. This means that the Murray Fire Department has the legal rights that are afforded to the State Fire Marshal and is able to enforce the state regulations. In order to be deputized the department has to maintain certain qualifications. Qualification includes, but is not limited to, passing as examination to become a Certified Fire Prevention Inspector, as well as participate in annual continued education as required by the office of the State Fire Marshal.

Documentation is kept on all inspections, fire runs and incidents, compliances, non-compliances, and standard correspondence. Fire records are sent to the State Fire Marshal’s office on a monthly basis.

The office also has the duty of enforcing the local open burning ordinance. Permits are issued and when questions arise is inspected to see if burning is allowed.