Fire Prevention

The Fire Prevention office is open Monday through Friday from 8am to 4pm. To contact the office please either email fireassistant@oakland-nj.org or call 201-337-8111 x2025.

Fire Prevention Information for Fire Certificate
Below is more information regarding Smoke detectors, Carbon Monoxide detectors, fire extinguishers, regarding placement and types.

SMOKE DETECTORS

The State of New Jersey requires, by Sections N.J.A.C. 5:70-2.3 and 4.9 of the New Jersey State Uniform Fire Code, a Smoke Detector Certification.
 
ANY DETECTOR THAT IS OLDER THAN 10 YEARS MUST BE REPLACED UNDER THIS REQUIREMENT AND IN ACCORDANCE WITH NFPA 72 (14.4.5.4.1 AND 14.4.5.5)
 
Smoke detector requirements vary because of code changes adopted over the past years. At a minimum, homes were not altered or made larger and built prior to January 1977 require battery detectors to level and outside of each sleeping area usually with 10 feet of any bedroom doors. The use of a be installed. One on each combination Smoke and CO detector is allowed to fulfill the requirements.
 
AS OF JANUARY 1, 2019, 10-YEAR SEALED BATTERY ONLY POWERED ALARMS SHALL BE INSTALLED IN ACCORDANCE WITH ANSI/UL 217 AND ALL BATTERY-OPERATED SMOKE DETECTORS THAT USE REMOVABLE BATTERIES MUST BE REPLACED WITH THE SEALED BATTERY REQUIREMENT MENTIONED ABOVE.
 
Any building constructed after January 1977 needs to meet the requirements of the code at the time the building was constructed. If the code only required hard wired smoke detectors on one or two floors, hardwired detectors need to be installed on each floor. However, A/C-powered single or multiple-station smoke alarms installed as part of the original construction or rehabilitation project SHALL NOT be replaced with BATTERY ONLY powered smoke alarms (Hardwired stays hardwired).
 
Where to Locate Detectors:
Detectors are to be located on every level of a residence, (basement, first floor, second floor, etc) (excluding crawl spaces and unfinished attics) and in every separate sleeping area, between sleeping areas and living areas such as the kitchen, garage, basement or utility room. Depending on the year the structure was built, locations vary, some have just hallway or corridor detectors and others have them hardwired in the bedroom along with the other locations. If they are multi-level, you should have one on every level in the locations noted below. Please see below diagrams for more information about placement in multi level and single level homes.
 
Where NOT to locate Detector:
To avoid false alarms and/or improper operation, avoid installing smoke detectors in the following areas:
  • Kitchens – Smoke from cooking may cause nuisance alarms.
  • Bathrooms – Excessive steam from a shower may cause nuisance alarms.
  • Near forced air ducts – Used for heating or ai conditioning – air movement may prevent smoke from reaching detector
  • Near furnaces of any type – Air and dust movement and normal combustion products may cause a nuisance alarm.
CARBON MONOXIDE DETECTORS
Carbon Monoxide Alarms should be installed with 10 feet of any sleeping areas so they will be audible in each bedroom. Multiple Carbon Monoxide Alarms may be necessary to accomplish this requirement. The use of a combination Smoke and CO detector are allowed to fulfill the requirement.
Carbon Monoxide Alarms may be battery type, AC plug-in type and shall be listed and labeled in accordance with UL-2034 and installed in accordance with NFPA-720

Examples of where smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors should be placed

smoke and CO pic

FIRE EXTINGUISHERS

The requirements for extinguisher type and placement are as follows N.J.A.C 5:70- 4.19(e):
1. At least one portable fire extinguisher shall be installed in all one- and two-family dwellings upon change of occupancy.
2. The extinguisher shall be listed, labeled, charged and operable.
3. The size shall be no smaller than 2A-10B:C, rated for residential use and weighs no more than 10lbs.
4. The hangers or brackets supplied by the manufacturer must be used.
5. The extinguisher must be within 10 feet of the kitchen and located in the path of egress.
6. The top of the extinguisher must be no more than 5 feet above the floor.
7. The extinguisher must be readily accessible location and not obstructed from view.
8. The owner’s manual or written information regarding the operation shall be provided during the inspection
9. The extinguisher shall be serviced and tagged within the past 12 months or the seller must have a receipt for a recently purchased extinguisher.
Please see below for some helpful Questions and Answers:
 
  1. CAN I INSTALL BATTERY DETECTORS INSTEAD OF HARDWIRED ONES?  Answer. NO.  Building codes since 1977, require all detectors that were originally installed at the time of construction be maintained and up to date.  If the home has hardwired detectors, then they must stay hardwired and be 10 years old or less.  Homes built prior to 1977 did not have detectors installed and they can have battery only devices, one outside the bedroom and on each level of the home.  See questions 4 and 13.
  2. HOW LONG DO DETECTORS LAST?  Answer.  Detectors made today are made to last 10 years.  Any detector that is close to the age limit are advised to be replaced even though they may be within the timeframe.  You need to replace them the new 10-year battery backup devices going forward.  Recently, we have seen detector and the batteries being removed from the device and not replaced or replaced in a non-working order.
  3. I HAVE A LOW VOLTAGE SYSTEM, DO I NEED TO HAVE IT TESTED?  A.  YES.  All low voltage system that are not part of the original construction must be tested annually by a qualified service.  At the time of a sale, the system must have been tested and still be monitored within the same year of the sale with no errors or faults per the NFPA 72.  The NFPA 72 form is the guideline the tester must use and the NFPA 72 report is what we need to see.
  4. DO I NEED TO HAVE MY BUILDING PERMITS CLOSED BEFORE A FIRE INSPECTION IS DONE? A. YES. All building permits and property maintenance violations must be closed before a fire inspection can be set up. If you have a building permit or property maintenance violation open the fire prevention clerk will advise you before setting up any inspection.
  5. DO FIRE EXTINGUISHERS GO BAD? A. YES. Fire extinguishers do have expiration dates. For residential they should have been purchased within the year of selling the home. It is suggested that the receipt is kept with the extinguisher for proof of purchase.
  6. WHEN DO I NEED TO SUBMIT THE PAPERWORK FOR THE CAO AND FIRE CERTIFICATION? A. The application for the CAO and Fire Certification should be submitted 30 DAYS prior to the closing date. This also allows time for any and all inspections needed and review of the paperwork.
  7. DO I NEED TO COMPLETE A CAO AND FIRE CERT FOR A SINGLE-FAMILY RENTAL PROPERTY? A. YES. For a single-family rental property, a Fire Cert and CAO is needed. If the property is on a well, a well report will be needed by the Board of Health. Also a Lead-Based Paint Safe Certificate will be needed as of July 2022 for all rental properties that were constructed prior to 1978. For more information regarding the Lead-Based Paint inspection contact our office and/or review page 7 and 8 of this packet.

For Local Businesses:

Please note that all businesses need to be registered with the Fire Prevention office. This will be initiated by filling out and completing a Commercial Certificate of Occupancy for all new businesses, change of ownership and/or change in tenant. This application is under 'Continued Certificate of Occupancy (CCO)' tab on the left hand side of this page. 

If you have a current business in Oakland and have changes to your alarm company, management, contact information etc., please fill out the 'Update to Business Registration' form listed below and send to fireassistant@oakland-nj.org so your file can be updated.

Fire Prevention Permits:

Please use the 'Fire Prevention Permit App', linked below, for all permits that are needed, that are submitted separately from a Continued Certificate of Occupancy application. This includes (As Per N.J.A.C. 5:18-2.7 & Local Ordinance):

  • Residential and commercial tent permits
  • The use of any open flame or flame producing device, in connection with any public gathering, for purposes of entertainment, amusement or recreation
  • Commercial welding or cutting operations except where the welding or cutting is permitted in areas approved for welding by the fire official and is registered as a Type B Life Hazard Use
  • Any permanent cooking operation that requires a suppression system in accordance with N.J.A.C. 5:18-4.7(g) and is not defined as a Life Hazard use in accordance with N.J.A.C. 5:128-2.4
  • For the storage, handling or use of flammable and combustible liquids
  • Carnivals and circuses employing mobile enclosed structures used for human occupancy
  • For a full list of all activities that require a Fire Prevention permit, please see email fireassistant@oakland-nj.org.

Contacts:

**Please note that the above email, fireinspector@oakland-nj.org, is not reviewed daily and can take 2 to 5 business days to be seen. Please contact Krystal Berkowitz at fireassistant@oakland-nj.org for a quicker response.**

AttachmentSize
PDF icon Business Registration Form - Updates for Current Businesses153.49 KB
PDF icon Fire Prevention - Carnival and Festival Application Packet549.65 KB
PDF icon Fire Prevention - Tent and Canopy Application523.85 KB