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To schedule a fire inspection, call the BFR Community Risk Reduction Division at 409-880-3905 between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.
BFR inspectors will do a walk-through or general safety inspection when asked to do so at the request of an occupant of a residence or business. Sometimes BFR receives complaints about a business or property that has a potential fire hazard. Such complaints often deal with locked or blocked exits, overcrowding, storage or use of barbecue pits on apartment patios and balconies, vehicles parked in fire lanes, or tall combustible weeds and brush against a structure or surrounding a fire hydrant making it not visible. An inspector can be requested to check on such complaints.
Members of the public who wish to obtain inspection reports for a particular property may do so by submitting an Open Records Request with the Community Risk Reduction Division. Open Records Requests may take up to 10 days before receiving a response.
Inspections reports are available for most City of Beaumont properties that have been inspected by Beaumont Fire Rescue in the last 10 years. Older information also may be available on some properties. State and federal building records are not available, nor is information on single-family residences (over which BFR does not have jurisdiction).
International Fire Code
The fire and building codes adopted by the City of Beaumont are copyrighted works owned by the International Code Council Inc. The currently adopted fire code is the 2009 edition of the International Fire Code. The currently adopted building code is the 2009 edition of the International Building Code. These two codes may be purchased from the International Code Council, Inc.
Local Amendments to International Fire Code
In the process of adopting the 2009 edition of the International Fire Code, the City of Beaumont also adopted several local amendments to address concerns that are considered specific to the City. These local amendments, as well as the local Fire Service Fees, may be viewed at Code of Ordinances on the City of Beaumont web site.
Fire Protection Systems
As with other industries the technology of detecting and suppressing fires is continuing to progress rapidly. Equipment and systems exist to detect the products of combustion and to control, extinguish, or suppress hostile fires. These systems include electronic detectors (smoke, heat, and flame); water-based suppression systems (automatic sprinklers, deluge systems, standpipe systems); and gaseous, liquid or solid chemical suppression systems (CO2, halon replacement gases or "clean agents" dry chemical systems, and wet chemical systems).
Before any fire protection system can be installed, plans must be submitted to the BFR Community Risk Reduction Division for approval and a permit obtained. An acceptance test is required following the installation of any fire protection system. Any company installing a fire protection system, shall test the installation for proper operation and code compliance prior to scheduling an acceptance test with the BFR Community Risk Reduction Division. If the fire protection system fails the acceptance test, this will result in a re-inspection fee of $100.00.
The maintenance of any ex
isting Fire Protection System is extremely important and required by code. The currently adopted code requires these systems to be maintained to the appropriate NFPA Standards. Please review below the applicable Codes and Standards.
IFC Section 901.6
901.6 Inspection, testing and maintenance. Fire detection, alarm and extinguishing systems shall be maintained in an operative condition at all times, and shall be replaced or repaired where defective. Nonrequired fire protection systems and equipment shall be inspected, tested and maintained or removed.
901.6.1 Standards. Fire protection systems shall be inspected, tested and maintained in accordance with the referenced standards listed in Table 901.6.1.
Table 901.6.1 Fire Protection System Maintenance Standards System Standard
Portable fire extinguishers - NFPA 10
Carbon dioxide fire-extinguishing systems - NFPA12
Halon 1301 fire-extinguishing systems - NFPA 12A
Dry-chemical extinguishing systems - NFPA 17
Wet-chemical extinguishing systems - NFPA 17A
Water-based fire protection systems - NFPA 25
Fire alarm systems - NFPA 72
Hydrant Flow Testing
For assistance in obtaining hydrant flow testing information for a construction project or for a fire sprinkler system water supply, please call the BFR Community Risk Reduction Division at 409-880-3905.
Fireworks Permit
Fireworks are illegal to possess or use in the City of Beaumont unless a permit has been issued for a professional display. These permits are issued by the Community Risk Reduction Division only if several requirements are met. There is a mandatory stand-by fire watch by BFR personnel for indoor displays.
A PERMIT, ALONG WITH THE FOLLOWING, IS REQUIRED IN ORDER TO PROMOTE OR EXECUTE A COMMERCIAL OR CONSUMER FIREWORK DISPLAY WITHIN THE CITY OF BEAUMONT:
• A site plan of the grounds where the display is to be held must be submitted and approved by BFR Community Risk
Reduction.
• A copy of a pyrotechnic operator license issued by Texas State Fire Marshal’s Office (Commercial only).
• A list of the fireworks to be used along with an MSDS for each (Commercial Only).
All information must be submitted to BFR Community Risk Reduction Office at least 10 days prior to the scheduled
event
for review and approval. The public display must meet all State of Texas requirements as outlined in the Firework rules
available from the Texas State Fire Marshal’s Office.
For a fireworks display permit call the BFR Community Risk Reduction Division at 409-880-3905.
Open Burning Permit
Open burning of trash or brush on private property is not allowed in the City of Beaumont. Prescribed or controlled burns, bon fires, ceremonial fires, and trench burning operations, must be approved in advance by BFR Community Risk Reduction. Plans should detail the location and size of the proposed burn, the materials expected to be burned, clearance from structures, etc. A permit for this type of fire is required and stand-by units may be required.
The use of open flame in a public assembly requires a permit. Examples of situations where this would apply are demonstration or entertainment that features fire-handling or a religious ceremony that includes open flames. This type of permit can be obtained by contacting the BFR Community Risk Reduction at 409-880-3905.
The 2009 International Fire Code does make some exceptions, though, for religious ceremonies.
Section 308.1.7 states: "When, in the opinion of the chief, adequate safeguards have been taken, participants in religious ceremonies are allowed to carry handheld candles. Handheld candles shall not be passed from one person to another while lighted."
Tent (Temporary Use) Permits
Permits must be obtained before erecting or constructing a tent in the City of Beaumont. The City of Beaumont Building Codes Department issues these permits, which are called temporary use permits, but the BFR Community Risk Reduction Division also must review the request and sign off on it. BFR examines the dimensions of the tent, its intended use, presence of fire extinguishers, clearance from a heat source or flame, location of parked vehicles, etc. BFR uses the same form that is used for Open Burning permits (see above), but additional paperwork will be required and the permit will actually be issued from the Building Codes Department. More information can be obtained by calling BFR Community Risk Reduction at 409-880-3905.