The Blacksburg Volunteer Fire Department is committed to fire protection and safety within our district.
To provide for the safety of firefighters and residents, we would like to schedule a time to come and conduct a fire
inspection and pre-incident planning survey at your business. Frequently asked questions are listed.

Do I have to have a fire inspection in South Carolina?
South Carolina Code of Laws SECTION 5-25-360. “Quarterly inspections of premises within fire limits; reports” makes
fire inspections mandatory for all businesses within the fire district. If you have not had a fire inspection, one must be
completed as soon as possible. Every three months, a new inspection must be completed.

What do you look for in a fire inspection?
Some of the main things that we look for during the inspection includes total area of the structure, the type of structure,
the acceptable occupancy load (this will be determined by the fire inspector), emergency exits, fire suppression
(extinguishers), and other considerations.

What is a “Pre-Incident Plan”?
This is a plan that we record and train our personnel on to better understand your structure. These plans help ensure that
we are doing our best on scene if your structure should ever suffer a fire. We record utility connection location, closest
water supply, type of structure, and other considerations needed.

What happens if you find something wrong with my building?
We will inform you of the discrepancy along with remedies of how to remedy it. We do not issue fines or citations. We
will then schedule a follow up inspection within 30 days to check the discrepancies.

What material do you use to guide you with inspections?
Inspectors use the International Code Council (ICC) building code, which is adopted by South Carolina building codes.

How will this benefit me?
If you are a business owner, insurance companies typically like to see fire inspection reports periodically to ensure
building safety. Your insurance company MAY reduce your premiums for compliance with fire safety codes. Check with
your insurance carrier to learn more.

Fire safety is everyone’s business. You certainly want to ensure for the safety of your customers and visitors. The fire
inspection does just that; helping you identify safety concerns and correcting them.
Lastly, firefighters in your area will be able to determine more information quickly about your building in the event of an
emergency. This aids them in making quicker decisions while remaining safe on the scene.