Fire Prevention Bureau

The primary mission of the Fire Prevention Bureau is to reduce the frequency and severity of fires by accomplishing the following objectives:

• The prevention of fires through public fire safety education;
• The investigation of the origin, cause, and circumstances of fires;
• The elimination of fire and life safety hazards in buildings;
• Enforcement of basic development and building construction requirements of the adopted fire code and referenced standards;
• Ensuring maintenance of fire protection and life-safety systems;
• Regulation of storage, use, and handling of hazardous materials.

The Fire Prevention Bureau manages the District’s annual fire inspection program.  In an effort to accomplish an inspection on all commercial occupancies within our district on an annual basis the engine companies are assigned annual fire inspections that generally require a limited amount of technical fire code application and interpretation.  Fire prevention staff completes inspections that require high-level technical application of fire code or that require a greater amount of time to complete as well as follow-up on the inspections conducted by the engine companies.

The Cunningham Fire Protection District has adopted the 2006 International Fire Code with amendments as the model fire code for the unincorporated area of our district.  The Arapahoe County Board of County Commissioners has approved the CFPD fire code adoption for enforcement within the Districts jurisdiction boundaries.

The City of Centennial has adopted by city ordinance the 2006 International Fire Code as the model fire code within the city limits of Centennial.  The fire district enforces the city’s adopted fire code as the model code for areas within the city limits.

Related Documents

• 2006 IFC Adoption
• Applicaton for Operational Permit

The Fire District is an outside referral agency for development plan review for both the Arapahoe County Planning Division and the City of Centennial Land Use Services Department.  Development plans are reviewed to verify that proposed development within our District is serviceable and will provide infrastructure that complies with requirements of the adopted fire code.

All new construction permitted through the Arapahoe County Building Department and the City of Centennial Building Department within our District is reviewed and inspected by the Fire Prevention Bureau to ensure plans meet applicable fire and life-safety requirements.

All new installations and all modifications to fire protection and life safety systems are reviewed and inspected by the Fire Prevention Bureau to that the installation or modifications meet applicable fire and life-safety codes and standards.

Related Documents

• Fire Prevention Fee Schedule
• Plan Review Application
• Plan Review Submittals Requirements
• Electronic Submittals
• Fire Safety During Construction
• Office Map

The Fire Prevention Bureau minimizes the threat created by hazardous materials by monitoring the types and quantities of hazardous materials located at facilities within our district.  These facilities are also inspected to verify compliance with applicable fire codes, standards, and laws.

New and existing installations of above ground and underground storage tanks and are also reviewed, inspected and permitted to verify compliance and maintain safety.

The Cunningham Fire Protection District is a member agency of the Arapahoe County Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) and participates in the Arapahoe County LEPC hazardous materials reporting program.

Related Documents

• Chemical Inventory Report - Initial
• Chemical Inventory Report - Update
• Applicaton for Operational Permit

Fire investigations are conducted to determine the origin, cause, and circumstances of fires that occur within the District.  Fire investigations are conducted to accomplish the following objectives:

• Reduce loss of life and property
• Determine if a fire was intentionally set
• Provide facts for any post-fire legal processes
• Identify trends
• Develop fire safety education programs
• Develop codes and standards

When a fire investigation determines that the fire was intentionally set a joint investigation with occurs with investigators of the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office-Environmental Crimes Unit (ECU).   The ECU is staffed by sheriff’s office investigators that are also trained in the arena of fire investigation.