COUNTY FIRE PREVENTION ASSOCIATION MEETINGS

DIVISION UPDATES – December 2009

• The 2009 Annual will be sent out to LEAs in the very near future. At the request of many Fire Officials, this year the listing of current businesses within your LEA will reside on the portal within the DCA/DFS Fire Officials Library, last year the link was within your form, which was very confusing to toggle back and forth from the form to Excel. This year you will be able to exit the form and return to it later without losing your data.  We will be e-mailing you when the information becomes available on the portal.

• The Contractors Unit is finalizing a list of contractors that are permitted by the DFS in New Jersey with the renewal period ending as of October 31, 2009. The updated contractors list will be posted on the DFS Website in the very near future. LEAs are also reminded to review the NFPA 25 & 72 test reports that may list deficiencies when inspecting businesses that contain fire protection equipment. The DFS monitors have identified failure of LEAs to issue violations when contractors have listed deficiencies on the test reports, and in some instances the required quarterly test inspections are not being conducted. If you have any questions, please contact the Contractors Unit at (609) 324-3560.

• “Fire in New Jersey 2008” is now available on the DFS Website at www.state.nj.us/dca/dfs.

• The 7^th annual Juvenile Firesetter Conference is December 3 & 4 at the Middlesex County Fire Academy, Sayerville. For registration details please visit the DFS Website at www.state.nj.us/dca/dfs.

• The DFS is finalizing several Bulletins clarifying previous confusion on “Fire Code Enforcement Jurisdiction in One and Two-Family Owner Occupied Dwellings”; “Oxford Houses”; “Use of Torches with a Pre-piped Fuel and Oxygen Supply”; and “Clarification of IFC-NJ Edition Subchapter 3 regarding items that appear in the code that require the installation of new or upgrading of existing equipment”. Once these bulletins are completed, LEAs will be notified and available on the DFS Website.

• The DFS would like to remind all LEAs that provisions regulating holiday decorations may be found in the 2006 IFC – NJ Edition at Section 806. Christmas tree, holiday wreaths, decorative materials display, open flame and electrical fixtures and wiring requirements are all addressed in this section. If you need any assistance please contact your Local Assistance Representative.

• The DFS is investigating two recent incidents involving bonfires where there were reported injuries. We would like to remind LEAs that provisions regulating bonfires may be found in the 2006 IFC – NJ Edition at Section 307.

• The “Fire Focus” fall edition is available on the DFS Website at www...state.nj.us/dca/dfs.

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Division Updates

December - 2009

• If you would like to be added to receive the monthly NJ State Fire Marshal message, please email fireprevention@dca.state.nj.is.

• Details on the 2009-2010 fire safety poster contest may be found on the Division Website at www.state.nj.us/dca/dfs.

• Be advised the DFS has a power point slideshow on “Solar Power & Its Impact on the Fire Service”. Please visit the DFS Website at www.state.nj.us/dca/dfs.

· Please remember that anytime there is a change in LEA information, complete and forward a LEA Survey form.  Local Assistance Reps. can provide you with the form or it may be obtained from the DFS Web site. Many LEAs have not sent their 2009 LEA Survey in yet. Please complete the survey and remit it to Marylain Kemp at mkemp@dca.state.nj.us.

· The Division has established a section on the DFS Website at www.state.nj.us/dca/dfs where 2006 IFC code questions can be submitted to DFS staff for answers. Please look for the 2006 code book, click on http://fs6.formsite.com/dca_dfs/InternationalFireCode/index.html and submit your questions.