The Dorchester County Fire Marshal performs five types of commercial Inspections.

Scheduled Inspections

Scheduled inspections are required by law (or allowed by law) and are usually part of an overall inspection program.

Complaint Inspections

Complaint Inspections originate from a citizen-filed complaint as a:

• customer of the property
• owner
• lessee
• passer-by

Occasionally the department receives anonymous complaints regarding safety from an employee or a disgruntled employee.

Pre-fire Planning Inspections

Pre-fire planning inspections are done to identify things that may affect the community during a real incident, and to reduce the chance that firefighters will get hurt should an incident occur.

While pre-fire planning inspection may also be part of a scheduled inspection, it usually has the added task of producing a map and drawing of the property as well as an identification of all hazards and issues that might affect firefighting. These inspections are often done by suppression personnel.

Permit Inspections

The fire code official is authorized to receive applications, review construction documents and issue permits for construction regulated by this code, issue permits for operations regulated by this code, inspect the premises for which such permits have been issued and enforce compliance with the provisions of this code.

Request for Fire Sprinkler System Shop Drawing Review

Personal Observation Inspections

This inspection originates from an inspector's own observation of a possible violation on a property or at a business.