Fire Prevention is the inspection, education, engineering and enforcement section Fire Rescue.  The bureau provides life safety services through code enforcement and inspections for new businesses, general fire inspections, as well as the operating and special use permitting and complaint investigations. 

Fire Prevention Bureau Contact Information:

Prevent fire injuries, property loss and deaths.
Visit our Fire Prevention Safety Tips page.

• • Phone:(954) 828-6370
  • Fax: (954) 828-5338
  • Email:  fireprevention@fortlauderdale.gov
  • Fire Marshal: Jason Miller
  • Assistant Fire Marshal: Katie Williams 

The Fire Prevention Bureau enforces the life safety and fire protection requirements of the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), Florida Fire Prevention Code, the Florida Building Code and the City of Fort Lauderdale Municipal Code of Ordinances. All of our Fire Inspectors are State of Florida Certified Firefighters and State of Florida and Broward County Certified Fire Inspectors. 

Bi- Directional Amplifier (BDA) Inspections

What Is A BDA And Why Is It Necessary?

Bi-Directional Amplifier (BDA), also known as an Emergency Responder Communications Enhancement System (ERCES), helps ensure reliable public safety radio communication inside buildings. Modern construction materials like reinforced concrete, energy-efficient glass, hurricane-rated windows, and fire-rated walls can block or weaken signals, making it difficult for emergency responders to communicate.
A BDA system captures strong public safety radio signals through a donor antenna, usually located on the roof, amplifies them, and redistributes them inside the building using antennas placed in areas with weak or no signal.

Legal Requirements

 In the City of Fort Lauderdale, two public safety radio networks serve residents, visitors, and workers:
  •   City of Fort Lauderdale Public Safety Radio System (800 MHz band)
  •   Broward County Public Safety Radio System (700 MHz band)

Florida Statute 633.202(18), the Florida Fire Prevention Code, and the Florida Building Code (Broward County Edition) require buildings over 12,000 square feet to maintain adequate public safety radio coverage, with limited exceptions. Coverage requirements include:
  •   90 percent signal coverage in non-critical common areas
  •   99 percent signal coverage in critical areas such as stairwells, elevators, areas of refuge and egress, fire alarm control rooms, generator rooms, and fire pump rooms

A BDA system may be necessary to meet these standards and protect building occupants and first responders.

Who Is Exempt From This Requirement?

Most buildings must meet public safety radio signal strength requirements. However, the following occupancies are not required to meet these standards or undergo a radio signal strength assessment:

 •   One-and two-family dwellings and townhouses 
 •   Buildings under 12,000 total square feet with no underground areas
 •   Apartments and transient lodging that are less than three stories and have direct exterior exits
 •   Wood-frame apartment buildings not otherwise required to install two-way radio systems

How Can I Determine If My Building Needs A BDA?

To find out if your building meets public safety radio coverage requirements, consider these options:

1. Request a DAQ test
Email BDA@FortLauderdale.gov to schedule a Delivered Audio Quality (DAQ) test. A City Telecommunications Coordinator will test both the City and County systems and provide you with the results.

2. Annual fire inspection testing: 
During your building’s annual fire inspection, fire inspectors will conduct sample signal tests in critical areas.

3. Hire a professional for an ERCES Grid Survey
A licensed BDA or fire alarm contractor can perform a full ERCES Grid Survey using specialized radio equipment. The results will be used by an engineer to design a compliant system for permitting, if one is needed.

What should I do if my building fails a DAQ test or receives a citation?

If your building fails a DAQ test or receives a Fire Department citation for inadequate signal coverage, follow these steps:

1. Review the results
Contact the City’s Telecommunications Coordinator at BDA@FortLauderdale.gov to discuss the citation or test results and identify areas of concern.

2. Hire a licensed contractor
A qualified BDA or fire alarm contractor can perform a full ERCES Grid Survey to map weak signal areas and inform the design of a compliant system.

3. Submit plans for approval
Work with your contractor and engineer to prepare and submit the BDA system plans for permitting and review.

4. Install and test the BDA system
Once plans are approved, your contractor will install the system. Post-installation testing is required to confirm code compliance.

5. Schedule a re-inspection
Contact the Fire Department for a follow-up inspection to confirm the system resolves any issues and clears the citation.

Contact us:
For questions or to schedule a free DAQ test, email the City of Fort Lauderdale Building Services Telecommunications Coordinators at BDA@FortLauderdale.gov.

Fire Inspection Fee Schedule

The fire inspection fee schedule is a structured list detailing the costs associated with various fire safety inspections, re-inspections, permits, and related services performed by the fire department fire prevention authorities.

These schedules have been adopted by ordinance and may vary based on property type, size, the specifics of the inspection required, and the locality. The Fire Inspection fee schedule outlines the amounts set by ordinance in the Fort Lauderdale municipal code. The downloadable schedule is available here. 

To mail your fire inspection bill payment by regular USPS mail, please use the following address:

City of Fort Lauderdale
Treasury - Fire Inspectors
P.O. Box 31687
Tampa, FL 33631-3687

We review all new commercial building plans prior to permits being issued and work with Building Department plan reviewers to ensure all building plans comply with national, state and local codes.

We inspect construction sites to ensure that the final product reflects the design criteria on approved plans, and test all fire protection, smoke evacuation and fire alarm systems to ensure they are functional and code compliant.  

A certificate of occupancy (CO) or completion is only issued once fire and building inspections have passed. Once a CO has been issued, Fire Inspectors continue to conduct annual inspections to ensure compliance is maintained.

Fire Investigations

Fire Investigations are an essential function of the Fire Prevention Bureau. The Fire Investigation Unit is consists of eight on-call fire investigators who respond to fire and/or hazardous incidents when called out by an on-scene Incident Commander (IC), including:

• Fires believed to be intentionally set
• Fires involving juveniles (includes gang activity)
• Fires that require additional alarm response
• Fires involving a fatality or injury to civilians and/or firefighters.
• Fires involving high dollar loss.
• Acts of terrorism (e.g., bombings, structural sabotage, etc.)
• Hazardous conditions that threaten life safety, such as:

• Assembly overcrowding
• Blocked exits
• Building collapse
• Compromised fire protection and detection systems, etc.
• Other related hazards when requested by an IC.

(At Left: House fires like this can be avoided. Find out how to secure your home with Community Risk Reduction here.)

Investigators are assigned to callout status using a one-week rotation cycle and a secondary member is also assigned to “back up status” when incidents overlap.

The fire investigators are required to attend continuing education classes to stay informed about changes and advancements in their field. Investigators also hold a variety of memberships in professional organizations, such as the International Association of Arson Investigators, the National Association of Fire Investigators, and the Florida Advisory Committee on Arson Prevention (FACAP).

Unit members must meet the Professional Qualifications for a Fire Investigator set by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA 1033). Each investigator is a member of the National Association of Fire Investigators (NAFI) and a Certified Fire & Explosion Investigator (CFEI). All fire investigations follow the guidelines In NFPA 921: Guide for Fire and Explosion Investigations.

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One Part of a Team of Experts

FIU members work closely with arson detectives from the Fort Lauderdale Police Department. FLPD detectives train with Fire investigators and attend fire investigation seminars, strengthening the relationship between the two departments.

FIU members often work closely with arson detectives from the Fort Lauderdale Police Department. FLPD detectives train with FIU investigators and often attend common fire investigation seminars, strengthening the relationship between the two departments.

The FIU also works with the Florida State Fire Marshal's Office, the Bureau of Fire/Arson Investigations, and the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF) whenever required. 

During the post-fire environment, the FIU coordinates with the American Red Cross, the City of Ft. Lauderdale Emergency Management Office, and the City of Ft. Lauderdale Building Services.

The Unit and these other agencies work together to help displaced families find lodging and to return affected properties back to a habitable condition.

• Please note that Fort Lauderdale fire investigators do not conduct private fire investigations
• All fire investigations are conducted according to Florida State Statutes and Fort Lauderdale Fire Department policy and procedures