Fire Prevention Inspections

Fire inspections are required for various reasons. These may include but are not limited to:

• Sale of a business or a property
• Change of use (change of occupancy)
• Licensing
• Complaint or investigation
• Owners request
• Tent
• Nightclub
• Special Amusements, flame effects, pyrotechnics, and firework
• Occupancies required to be inspected per RIGL 23-28.5-1

Nightclubs (with an occupancy of 150 and greater), Places of Assembly (with an occupancy of 300 and greater), and apartment buildings are some of the occupancies that need to comply with new fire alarm and sprinkler requirements implemented in the new Rhode Island State Fire Code.

Places of Worship as defined in RIGL 23-28.1-5 shall comply with RIGL 23-28.6-24 with amendments RILSC (Add) 13.1.8.1

A fee of $100.00 is charged for all fire inspection. Fire inspections may be requested by calling the Providence Fire Prevention Bureau at 401 243 6050.

Fire Prevention and Fire Alarm Plan Review

Reviewing plans for new projects is a major responsibility of the Fire Prevention Bureau. Whether it is an expansion to an existing building, a new building, a shopping center, or a residential subdivision, the bureau is involved in the planning process.

The plan review process involves both the land and the structures. It involves construction and demolition.

The bureau assesses the roadway and water resources for the development. They insure that the plans provide for enough water to supply hydrants and sprinkler systems. The roadway plans are evaluated to determine if access and turning areas meet requirements for large firefighting vehicles.

For commercial and industrial buildings, meeting the fire code standards is required based on a variety of factors including the building's size, intended use, and occupancy numbers. Those factors help determine design of exits, alarm requirements, and sprinkler requirements.

Fire prevention efforts continue for the life of the building. Some undergo an annual inspection by the fire prevention bureau to ensure that safety requirements continue. The bureau may find that cluttered exit passages, overloaded electrical circuits, dangerous heating units, flammable material issues and other concerns that the business must correct.

All these efforts are aimed at making buildings as fire safe as possible for the workers, visitors, and residents if the City of Providence.

The Fire Prevention Bureau has joined forces with other city departments to make submitting plans for a project easier and more efficient. The City has established a new plan intake procedure by creating a single point for plan submittal. All applications and plans are now submitted at the Department of Inspections and Standards and will then be dispersed to the appropriate departments internally.

The City of Providence has now advanced the plan submittal process even further with its new "eplan" review. Plans can now be submitted electronically and reviewed by all departments concurrently with immediate feedback to the submitter. The submitter will also know, at anytime, the current status of the review. The electronic plan review process is expected to reduce the time needed to get plans reviewed and a building permit issued.

Further information on plan submittal requirements and electronic plan review are available through:

• City of Providence Online Guide to Permitting

• EPlan Review

• Or by calling the Fire Prevention Bureau at 401-243-6050