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CAPESAFE
The CAPESAFE program is dedicated to enhancing community safety through comprehensive education and support. Home fire safety education ensures families understand fire risks and prevention strategies. In addition, we offer smoke alarm inspections and installations to ensure every home is equipped with this life-saving device. Falls prevention education provides residents, particularly seniors, with methods and techniques to reduce accidental falls. Through CAPESAFE, we also connect individuals with essential community resources, fostering a safer, more informed community.
Home Fire Safety Checklist
Use this checklist to evaluate your home to ensure it is fire safe. Then map out your family's fire escape plan in the gridded area and practice it once a year.
Smoke Alarm Outreach Program
Through a partnership with the Cape Coral Fire Department Community Foundation and the American Red Cross, the Cape Coral Fire Department is proud to offer a free smoke alarm program for homes located in the Cape Coral service area. When at the home, Smoke Alarm Outreach team members will test any pre-existing smoke alarms, change batteries in working smoke alarms, and install new 10-year battery smoke alarms to ensure your home is adequately covered. Carbon monoxide alarms are also available for those who request it. Team members can also provide fire and life safety information.
Hard-wired Smoke Alarms: This program does not include replacing hard-wired smoke alarms (hard-wired means a set of wires come out of the smoke alarm and connect to electrical wiring in the home). Team members will test the alarms and replace the batteries as needed. If a hard-wired smoke alarm needs to be replaced, this is the responsibility of the homeowner, who may need to contact a licensed electrician.
RENTERS: According to Florida State Statute 83.51 subsection 2, paragraph B, “Unless otherwise agreed in writing, at the commencement of the tenancy of a single-family home or duplex, the landlord shall install working smoke detection devices.” In other words, the landlord is responsible for ensuring working smoke alarms are installed in rental units before occupants move in, unless it is otherwise agreed in writing. And you should NEVER agree to not having smoke alarms installed.
United Way 211
United Way 211 is a free 24-hour non-emergency helpline for referral to health and social services that provide food, housing, child care, and veteran resources in Lee, Hendry, and Glades Counties. For assistance, dial 2-1-1 from your cell phone or call (239) 433-3900.
To request a visit from our a Smoke Alarm Outreach team member, please complete the below form. After submitting the form, you will be contacted to confirm which service you are requesting and to the date and time of the visit.
*Please note, all of our Smoke Alarm Outreach team members are trained, fingerprinted, and cleared through a background screening.
Business Tax Receipt (BTR) Inspections
Before requesting a BTR inspection, building shall be 90% set up for business with furniture and fixtures in place.
Please review above list of common areas examined during a fire inspection.
To schedule, please call (239) 242-3264 or email fireinspections@capecoral.gov.
Construction Inspections
Shall be requested on the contractor portal using contractor pin number. Please not following requirements (list is not exhaustive):
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Permit shall be on site prior to all work starting.
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Reviewed, stamped set of plans on site at all times.
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Site work drive rough inspection shall be scheduled before blacktop or concrete is poured.
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Fire Lane secured before building vertically.
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Hydrants working on site before any combustibles present.
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Emergency lights shall turn on when lighting breaker is turned off.
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Alarm rough inspected before covering wires (above and underground).
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Firewall screw inspection is required for each layer before tape and mud (no mud under firecaulk).
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Gas pressure test and rough inspection before final inspection.
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Final alarm electrical building inspection shall be approved before final alarm fire inspection.
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For final inspection, alarm, sprinkler, hood, suppression, gas, and any other device connected to the alarm shall be inspected as one system. All contractors must be at final inspection. If one is not present, no other final inspections can be performed.
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Any single story building over 5,000 sq. ft. is required to have a bi-directional amplifier (BDA) radio signal strength test prior to final fire inspection.
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Final fire building inspection cannot be done if any sub-permit is not completed.
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If what is built does not meet plans, a revision shall be submitted to the building department for approval before requested inspection can take place.
Must be requested at least 24-hours prior to desired inspection date.
Fee is $62.50 per hour, per inspector, with a two hour minimum.
To schedule, please call (239) 242-3264 or email fireinspections@capecoral.gov.
After Hours Inspections
Occupancy Inspections
Inspections are scheduled by the fire inspectors based on occupancy risk: high-risk, moderate-risk, and low-risk.
High-Risk Occupancy: An occupancy that has a history of high frequency of fires, high potential for loss of life or economic loss, or that has a low or moderate history of fires or loss of life but the occupants have a high dependency on the built-in fire protection features or staff to assist in evacuation during a fire or other emergency. High-risk occupancies are inspected annually. These include:
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Hospitals
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Schools (private, religious, charter and public)
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Daycares (over 16 clients)
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Assisted living facilities (over 16 residents)
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Any high-rise structure (over 75 ft in height)
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Apartments/condos/hotels (over 3 stories)
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High-hazard industrial properties
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Large mercantile properties (over 50,000 sq. ft)
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Assembly occupancies (over 300 occupants)
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Government infrastructure buildings (includes police and fire stations, utilities, libraries, and museums)
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Any occupancy with hazardous material over maximum allowable quantity
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Properties at which it is difficult to fight fires due to water resources, location, etc.
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Any other facility deemed a target hazard by the Fire Marshal
Moderate-Risk Occupancy: An occupancy that has a history of moderate frequency of fires or a moderate potential for loss of life or economic loss. Moderate-risk occupancies, such as ambulatory health care and industrial, are inspected biennially.
Low-Risk Occupancy: An occupancy that has a history of low frequency of fires and minimal potential for loss of life or economic loss. Low-risk occupancies, such as storage, mercantile, and business, are inspected triennially.
School Inspections
Under Florida Statute 69A-58, it is the responsibility of the local fire official and the school board to conduct annual fire and life safety inspections of all schools that house children from pre-kindergarten through 12th grade.
Each year, Cape Coral Fire Department’s Bureau of Fire Prevention conducts a complete fire safety inspection of every public, private, charter, and parochial school within the City at the beginning of the school year. This is a comprehensive inspection of each school to ensure that the learning environment for our children and their teachers and support staff is as safe as possible. When possible, these inspections are conducted jointly with a school district safety inspector.
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Every room and building on the school campus, including classrooms, closets and storage rooms, hallways, stairwells, elevators, offices, kitchens, restrooms, HVAC and boiler rooms, and electrical rooms are inspected.
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All outbuildings, bleachers, and the campus grounds are checked.
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Maintenance records for fire hydrants and fire department connections are reviewed.
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Ensure all emergency access points for fire department apparatus are accessible.
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A review of critical life safety systems such as fire alarms and fire sprinkler systems test reports is conducted.
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The school fire drill log is checked for compliance and the school's emergency plan is reviewed.
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All exits and means of egress are checked to be sure they are clear and accessible, and all emergency systems and devices are operational.
A representative of the school is immediately made aware of any deficiencies or fire code violations found. A written inspection report containing a plan of action and schedule for corrections is sent to the school administrator, the school district inspector, and the State Department of Education.
We strive to keep our children, teachers, and faculty safe from hazards.
Night Inspections
The Bureau of Fire Prevention conducts night inspections at assembly locations in the City of Cape Coral once a month. These inspections allow fire inspectors to see businesses operating at their peak hours and assess them for any life safety concerns.
Types of businesses typically inspected include restaurants, bars, night clubs, theaters, and other assembly occupancies not typically occupied during normal business hours.
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Fire inspectors will check that buildings have not exceeded their occupant load as displayed, ensure exits are clear from obstructions, and look for any hazards that could pose a life safety concern for businesses and their patrons.
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Typically if a building is found to be over-occupied, the fire inspector will restrict access, wait until the building has returned to an allowable occupant load, and implement a one in, one out policy. If an immediate danger to life and health situation is found, the fire inspector may require the building be evacuated until the hazard can be mitigated.
The Bureau of Fire Prevention is working to keep Cape Coral’s residents, visitors, businesses and first responders safe through proactive inspections such as night inspections.
Cape Coral Ready Presentation
Building a resilient community is essential in today’s world, where natural disasters, pandemics, and other emergencies are becoming more frequent and severe. By working together to strengthen our preparedness and response capabilities, we can bounce back quicker and emerge stronger from any crisis. The Cape Coral Ready campaign was designed to help build a community that is prepared for anything. The 45 minute presentation educates individuals on basic preparedness skills and can be tailored to any community group, business, or school. To schedule a presentation, please email cceoc@capecoral.gov.
Area Agency on Aging of SWFL
The Area Agency on Aging for Southwest Florida (AAASWFL) is a nonprofit organization serving older adults (age 60-up) and adults with disabilities. AAASWFL is committed to connecting older adults and adults with disabilities to resources and assistance for living safely with independence and dignity. If you or someone you know needs assistance, please call 1-866-413-5337.
Falls Prevention
Falls are the leading cause of injury-related death among adults ages 65 and older, and the fall death rate is increasing. Falls are NOT a normal part of aging. Falls can be prevented by screening for fall risk and addressing risk factors such as use of certain medicines or poor strength and balance. To evaluate your fall risk, complete the below Falls Free Checkup from the National Council of Aging. We also offer falls prevention presentations for adults and caregivers on methods and techniques available to reduce accidental falls in Southwest Florida. To schedule a presentation, email CRR@capecoral.gov.