Fire Prevention

Under the authority of the New Jersey Division of Fire Safety, The Rowan University Code Compliance Office is charged with the responsibility of enforcing the provisions of the International Fire Code, New Jersey Edition, and is the authority having jurisdiction with respect to fire safety regulations, policies and procedures. Fire Safety is staffed with State certified fire inspectors who regularly inspect all University premises to assure compliance with fire safety regulations, test fire protection systems and equipment, and conduct employee training programs to familiarize staff with fire hazards and procedures to be followed in an emergency. Furthermore, employees are apprised of the fire hazards of the materials and processes with which they work during state-mandated Right-to-know training.

University buildings are equipped with fire extinguishers in accordance with the requirements of the construction and/or fire safety codes. Employees are not expected to utilize these devices nor are they trained in their use due to the danger to their personal safety, which would result from attempting to extinguish a fire. Many buildings are protected by automatic sprinkler systems. All major buildings are equipped with automatic fire detection and alarm systems, which are constantly, monitored at the Department of Public Safety Communications Center. Special hazards, such as chemical storage, high voltage electrical, cooking, spray painting and computer installations are protected by fixed suppression systems in addition to the aforementioned types of built-in protection. There are no fire hoses for building occupant use located in any University building; only fire hose connections for fire department use exist.

The Code Compliance office is staffed by certified Fire Code Inspectors.

Fire safety inspections generate formal, written Notices of Violation, which are issued to the individual responsible for the correction of an observed fire hazard. Re-inspections are established and are conducted. There is a process that is followed for granting extensions of time for hazard abatement, as well as handling uncorrected cited hazards.

All fire protection systems are inspected at the frequencies required by the International Fire Code, New Jersey Edition. These include automatic sprinkler systems, standpipe systems, fixed suppression systems, fire alarm systems, emergency power generators, fire pumps, fire extinguishers and fire hydrants.

The Fire Safety Bureau is empowered, by New Jersey Regulation, to order the abatement of cited fire hazards, to assess penalties for non-compliance, and to issue punitive closing notices and vacate buildings where uncorrected hazards exist.

For further information regarding fire safety, to request assistance in developing office