SD16 - Fire Prevention Services in the Commonwealth

  • Published: 1989
  • Author: General Assembly. Joint Subcommittee
  • Enabling Authority: Senate Joint Resolution 67 (Regular Session, 1988)

Executive Summary:
Senate Joint Resolution No. 67, agreed to during the 1988 General Assembly Session, established a joint subcommittee to study whether the Department of Fire Programs and the Office of the State Fire Marshal should be consolidated and to recommend what the Commonwealth's policy should be in the area of fire prevention education, information and assistance.

The resolution states that fire service organizations in the Commonwealth have expressed their concern about the coordination of fire prevention activities between the Department of Fire Programs and the Office of the State Fire Marshal within the Department of Housing and Community Development. The resolution states that the overlap between the two departments causes confusion for citizens and for local and state officials in obtaining fire prevention information and assistance and that there is always a need to examine ways to improve the services provided to the. citizens of the Commonwealth and to make the best use of resources by avoiding duplication of effort and services. The resolution also states that there should be a state policy emphasizing the importance of fire prevention education for the Commonwealth.

The subcommittee held an organizational meeting, a public hearing and two work sessions. The subcommittee heard from the Department of Forestry, the Department of Education, the Department of State Police, the Virginia Fire Services Board, the Board of Housing and Community Development, the Virginia Fire Service Council, the State Fire Chiefs' Association of Virginia, the National Fire Protection Association, the Virginia Building and Code Officials Association, the Virginia Fire Prevention Association, the Virginia Chapter of the International Association of Arson Investigators, the Virginia Hotel and Motel Association, local fire marshals and other local fire service personnel.

The subcommittee addressed the issues of consolidation, fire prevention education and arson. Although arson was not an issue identified for study by Senate Joint Resolution No. 67 the subcommittee repeatedly heard testimony that there are problems with arson investigation and determined that arson is related to other fire-related issues being studied by the subcommittee. Each of the issues studied by the subcommittee is discussed individually.