VISALIA FIRE
DEPARTMENT
2025 Prevention Division Overview
DAN GRISWOLD, FIRE CHIEF
CORBIN REED, FIRE MARSHAL
ORGANIZATIONAL CHART
Allocated 88 Positions
Programs
•
Fire and
l
ife
s
afety
i
nspections
and program management
o
C
ommercial
b
usiness
i
nspections
o
Apartment
c
omplex
i
nspections
o
School
i
nspections
o
L
arge
f
amily
d
ay
c
are
i
nspections
o
Residential
c
are
f
acilities
•
Property maintenance
•
Fire
a
larm
p
ermits
•
Fire
i
nvestigations
•
Public
e
ducation
•
Construction
a
ccess
•
Illegal
f
ireworks
•
Safe and
s
ane
f
ireworks
•
Site
p
lan
r
eview
•
Image
t
rend
m
anagement
Fire and Life Safety Inspections
Annual fire and life safety inspections include
inspections performed by engine companies and
prevention staff. The City’s policy is to attempt to
inspect all commercial occupancies on an annual
basis, most of these inspections are performed by
engine crews. This equates to 2,772 inspections
assigned to engine crews annually.
Fire and Life Safety Inspections Cont.
The California Health and Safety code requires that specific occupancies be inspected annually, by full-time paid staff. These occupancies include:
• Multi Family (apartments, care homes) – 883
• Schools (excluding college) – 74
• Highrise (Town Meadows) – 1
• Hotels/Motels – 19
• Places of Detention (holding cells) – 1
These inspections are performed by Prevention staff as they require an extensive knowledge of the California Fire and Building Codes and often require research into the original construction of the building.
Additionally, inspections referred by engine crews for non-compliance, state licensed facilities, and complaint generated inspection are performed by Prevention Staff.
Property maintenance complaints such as junk, trash, debris, weeds and overgrowth are the the Fire Prevention Division’s responsibility. Cases are primarily complaint driven based on complaints received from the public. Additionally, the goal is to have all vacant lots abated throughout the community prior to July 1st.
Property Maintenance
Total Cases
• Cases vary from year to year depending on subdivision development, new annexations, and economic factors such as foreclosures. • Currently 2,165 cases have been generated this year with 2,371 inspections performed. Thirty-six workorders have been issued thus far in 2025.
Property Maintenance Cont.
3052
2897
2661 2607
2097
3851
3499
3644 3608
2976
83 69 56 108 76
0 500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
3500
4000
4500
2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Property Maintenance Cases
Total Cases Total Inspections Properties abated by City Current Property Maintenance Cases
Fire Alarm Permits
• Fire Alarm Permits are required by ordinance for all
fire alarm systems throughout our community.
• To obtain the permit applicants must provide an
emergency contact list with persons who can provide
24/7 access to their property along with a current
annual service report.
• The goal of this permit is to ensure systems are being maintained in accordance with the National Fire
Protection Association (NFPA) guidelines there by
reducing the number of false alarms and ensuring the
system is operating as it should.
• There are approximately 800 permits issued annually
by the Fire Alarm Coordinator Sr. Administrative
Assistant Stephanie Phipps.
Fire Investigations
Fire Investigation Team
• Fire Marshal- Team Manager/Certified Fire
Investigator
• Two - Lead, Certified Fire Investigators
• Three - Apprentice Fire Investigators
• Five - Fire Investigator Trainees
Fire Investigations
• All fires are required to be investigated.
• Fires meeting the following criteria requires a Certified Fire Investigator
• High dollar loss
• Political
• Significant injury or death
• Suspicious circumstances
• As seen fit by the Incident Commander
• 77 Public Education Events Attended.
• Approximately 4,689 event attendees.
• Third grade Fire Prevention Month
• 23 citizens were provided the opportunity
to ride-along with an Engine Crew.
• 21 free smoke alarms were installed
throughout the community.
• Fire Trucks and Food Trucks.
Fire Department Apparatus Access is a continuing challenge. Working with developers to provide a temporary solution that meets Fire Code requirements and works with their construction timelines and needs, is a challenging middle ground to find. Temporary access standards for residential projects were established in July 2019 and have proven effective on multiple projects. By having these guidelines in place, firefighters were able to successfully access, control and extinguish multiple fires in houses under construction including, two on North Santa Fe and two on West Porter.
Commercial construction access standards continue to be a work in progress working with developers on a case-by-case basis until written standards can be implemented.
Construction Access
• Illegal fireworks are classified as any firework not bearing the Safe and Sane fireworks seal from the State of California
• Citations within the City of Visalia range from $2,000 to $4,000 for each offence.
• Citations are tracked over a three-year period.
• Visalia.gov/celebratesafely is utilized to provide information on fireworks booth locations, safety tips, and illegal fireworks penalties and reporting information.
• Education through social media postings throughout the month of June, flyers included in City utility bills, and banners will be hung at each fire station.
Illegal Fireworks
THANK YOU.