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Fire Inspections
Below are a few common areas examined during a fire inspection.
1. Certified minimum 2A10BC fire extinguisher(s) hung so that the distance between the bottom of the extinguisher and the floor is no less than 4 in. and that the distance between the top of the extinguisher and the floor is no more than 5 ft (diagram). Must have current tag by a Florida licensed extinguisher contractor.
2. Exit and emergency lights work under electric and battery power.
3. Use of extension cords for permanent power is prohibited. Use of a surge protector with breaker is allowed; only one per plug outlet.
4. Egress on both sides of the door shall be free and clear of all objects.
5. No storage above marked exits.
6. Power cords shall not go under doors, rugs, through holes in walls, or through ceiling tiles.
7. Barbecue grills shall not be stored or used on balconies.
8. When a building has a fire alarm, it shall be inspected annually.
9. When a building has a fire sprinkler system, it shall be inspected quarterly and annually.
10. Commercial hood systems shall be cleaned and tagged by a professional cleaning company as prescribed by use:
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Every 3 months for 24-hour operation
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Every 6 months for normal use
11. Address on building with 6 in. numbers contrasting to building color.
12. Electric panel with 3 ft clear path in front.
13. No storage within 18 in. of a sprinklered ceiling.
14. No storage within 12 in. of an unsprinklered ceiling.
15. No storage under stairs.
16. Fire doors shall be operational and not propped open.
While these are just a few of many required fire codes, please keep the safety of you, your employees, your customers, and our firefighters in mind.
FIRE INSPECTIONS
Fire Inspectors meet with the public on a daily basis to inspect commercial and multi-family properties, ensuring that these properties meet the minimum safety standards for fire and life safety protection.
Frequently we receive questions or concerns about a business or activity related to fire safety. They may be initiated by a citizen, alarm and sprinkler contractor, alarm monitoring agency, building inspector, code enforcement officer, or police or fire personnel. When this happens, an inspector will make a site visit to investigate the concern and then work with the occupant to correct any deficiencies found. If you have a question, concern, or need more information, please call (239) 242-3264 or email fireinspections@capecoral.gov.
More information on specific fire codes can be found in the 2020 Florida Fire Prevention Code, 7th Edition.
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.
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.
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.
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.