Fire Prevention
Fire Inspections/Code Enforcement
The main objective of this task is to gain voluntary compliance with the associated fire codes as adopted by the State of South Carolina. The Fire Inspectors complete annual inspections of all existing commercial properties along with needed follow up inspections. In 2022, the Fire Prevention Division conducted 4,839 fire and life safety inspections. In addition to these annual inspections, the Division has other duties they are responsible for such as:
- Review of site plans, new construction plans, fire protection system plans and the like.
- Business license inspections as requested by Beaufort County
- Acceptance testing of new fire protection systems
- Bi-Annual Click2Enter inspections
- Special Events inspections
- Burn permit issuance (inside the Town of Bluffton)
In addition to these duties, the Fire Inspectors must be certified through the State of South Carolina as Certified Fire Marshals. This also requires annual continuing education through authorized training agencies.
Fire Investigation
The Fire District is authorized by South Carolina State law to investigate all fires to determine the origin and cause of the fire. The Fire District’s Investigation Team consists of the Fire Prevention Division. All Division members are certified fire investigators through the National Association of Fire Investigators or the International Association of Arson Investigators. The team works with local law enforcement such as the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Department, the Town of Bluffton Police Department as well as South Carolina State Agencies such as the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division’s Arson Investigators in the event of incendiary fires. The Fire Investigation Team completes 40 hours of training per year in accordance with ISO standards.
To inquire about Fire Inspections, Fire Codes, Environmental Surveys, or Development Planning, please contact the Fire Marshal.
