201-666-0750
656 Washington Ave
Township of Washington, NJ  07676
Fire Prevention
Bureau of Fire Prevention

Thomas Derienzo, Jr. – Fire Official
Anthony M. Silletto & Sam Antoshak– Fire Inspectors
William Bilias – Fire Department Director
Phone:  (201) 263-0549
Email Fire Prevention
Office: Municipal Building – 3rd Floor
 
The Bureau of Fire Prevention enforces the New Jersey Uniform Fire Safety Act and the codes and regulations adopted under it in all buildings, structures and premises within the Township of Washington.
Carbon Monoxide & Smoke Detector Inspections
 
Upon sale of your home, an inspection to ensure that your home is compliant with NJ State Fire Codes with respect to Carbon Monoxide and Smoke Detector inspections must be performed prior to closing.
 
To schedule an inspection, please contact the Building Department at 201-666-0462. 
 
You must have the following to avoid a re-inspection and the extra fee:
  1. You will need a 2A:10BC fire extinguisher mounted in the Kitchen on the wall.  This extinguisher must be within 10 feet of your kitchen, BUT NOT on the other side of any type of door.
  2. You will need a minimum of one smoke detector on each level of the home.
  3. You will need one carbon monoxide detector within 10 feet of any bedroom.  It may be plug-in or battery operated.
Note:  Please remember to contact the Building Department as a Certificate of Continued Occupancy (CCO) is required prior to the sale of any house.
 
Residential Dwelling Inspection Fee Schedule
Smoke, Carbon Monoxide & Fire Extinguisher Compliance
 
Time Frame Fees
10 days or more before closing $40.00
9  days or less before closing $75.00
Re-inspection fee $50.00
 
Non-Life Hazard Uses
In addition to the inspections required pursuant to the Uniform Fire Safety Act and the regulations adopted there under, all buildings, structures and uses within the Township of Washington, except for owner-occupied one- and two-family dwelling units, shall be inspected for compliance with the New Jersey Uniform Fire Code annually. 
 
Non Life Hazard Registration Fees
Fees apply to each business (income producing property) at each street address
 
Building size Registration Re-inspection Fee
  Annual Fee Late Fee 1st 2nd 3rd
Less than 1499 sq. ft. $ 100.00 $ 100.00 0.00 $50.00 $100.00
1,500 to 2,500 sq. ft. $ 150.00 $ 150.00 0.00 $50.00 $100.00
2,501 to 4,000 sq. ft. $ 200.00 $ 200.00 0.00 $50.00 $100.00
4,001 to 8,000 sq. ft. $ 250.00 $ 250.00 0.00 $50.00 $100.00
8,001 to 10,000 sq. ft. $ 300.00 $ 300.00 0.00 $50.00 $100.00
10,001 to 15,000 sq. ft. $ 350.00 $ 350.00 0.00 $50.00 $100.00
15,001 to 20,000 $ 400.00 $ 400.00 0.00 $50.00 $100.00
20,001 and over $ 450.00 $ 450.00 0.00 $50.00 $100.00
 
 
Residential Dwelling Registration
Fees apply to each non-owner occupied residential dwelling at each street address
 
Minimum Fee per unit Registration Re-inspection Fee
  Annual Fee Late Fee 1st 2nd 3rd
1 to 4 units minimum $100.00 $100.00 No Charge $50.00 $100.00
Per unit over the minimum $20.00        

Change Your Clock Change Your Battery

That’s why instead of guessing whether or not your family is safe, Energizer® in partnership with the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC) wants you to Change Your Clock Change Your Battery®. Twice a year when we change the clocks, put fresh batteries in all your safety devices and when you re-install them, do a test on each to be sure each is functioning properly. But don’t toss those old batteries, use them in your other non-life saving electronics and when they’re spent, check out the Energizer Battery Recycling Program.

US Home Fire Statistics

  • Did you know that home fires kill more than 2,500 people each year in the US alone.* That’s an average of seven people every day. * Millions more are injured.
  • Most people have detectors. In fact, the installation of smoke detectors in homes has soared, from just 10% in 1975 to 95 percent in 2000.* But they don’t work if they have dead batteries, are broken or defective, or are too old to work. In fact, homes with non-working smoke alarms now outnumber households with without smoke alarms.*
  • Three out of five deaths from home fires occur in homes without a working smoke alarm – 71% of the smoke alarms that failed had missing, disconnected or dead batteries*.
  • The reality of fatalities is that only 20% of reported home fires occur between 11pm and 7am, but overnight fires caused 50% of all home fire deaths. Additionally, 36% of the victims never woke up before succumbing.
  • In a study by Energizer, 70% of participants believed they would have enough time to evacuate their home in case of a fire and 30% said that they or their family member could detect a fire. In reality, home fires don’t give you must time to escape and they aren’t easy to detect – especially when they’re in the crawlspace, attic, garage, or closed off room.

*Source: National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
Fun & Educational Links for the Entire Family
 FirePreventionWeek.org