Department of Fire Prevention

Duties

Duties of the Department of Fire Prevention consist of the enforcement of the New Jersey Uniform Fire Code, inspecting all commercial buildings and tenants, schools, places of assembly and multi-family dwellings.

The Department of Fire Prevention is a multi-task department serving the Township of Mahwah. In addition to conducting fire code inspections at commercial locations, Fire Prevention also provides public fire safety education programs.

Check out the Public Education Sites tab for documents related day-to-day routines and updated product information.

Certificate of Smoke Alarm, Carbon Monoxide, and Portable Fire Extinguisher (CSACMAPFEC N.J.A.C. 5:70-2.3 and 4.19)

Another task performed by Fire Prevention, is the State of New Jersey requires certification of smoke detector operation in the resale of homes and a change of tenants. To apply for a certification, a packet will be handed out or downloaded from HERE or from the Permit Application link on the left.  Contact the office or stop in to schedule the inspection, once you have completed the application. The affidavit is still needed to complete the certification and inspection process. Included in the packet are three documents: the affidavit for the inspection, the homeowner’s instructions and the instructions to return the affidavit to complete the certification and inspection.  All fees are to be returned with the affidavit.  As of July 1, 2022, remote or picture inspections have ended.  All inspections have resumed to pre-pandemic appointment inspections only.

NOTE: The Township of Mahwah DOES NOT require a Certificate of Occupancy (CO) or Continued Occupancy (CCO) for a resale or tenant rental. However, the State of New Jersey requires, by Sections N.J.A.C. 5:70-2.3 and 4.9 of the New Jersey State Uniform Fire Code, a Smoke Detector Certification. Any home built prior to January 1, 1977 requires a 10-year lithium battery smoke detector on each level of the home and smoke and CO detector or a combo smoke/CO detector outside the bedroom area and a 2A-10B:C fire extinguisher.  

A home built January 1, 1977 or after, the certification requires hardwired smoke detectors on every level, hallway outside the bedrooms and if the structure was built in 1991 or after, in the bedrooms, carbon monoxide detectors outside all bedrooms and a 2A-10B:C fire extinguisher.  You are now required to replace your hardwired smoke detectors with the new 10-year lithium backup battery detector.  This saves you from having to replace the batteries twice a year and you wwill not get a low battery chirp when the batteries start to go dead.  Just replace the device when the battery dies 8 - 10 years from manufacture date.

ALL RENTAL UNITS, CONDO, APARTMENT AND SINGLE FAMILY DWELLINGS WITH HARDWIRED DETECTORS WITH REMOVABLE BATTERIES (9V, AA or AAA) NEED TO BE REPLACED WITH SMOKE DETECTORS WITH THE NEW 10-YEAR LITHIUM BACKUP BATTERY DEVICE, AS MENTIONED ABOVE.

See the FAQ sections for additional information and answers.

Christmas Tree Safety during the Holiday Season

During the holiday season with holiday decorations on display in your homes, the use of natural or real displays of wreaths and trees look and smell great, but they need to be cared for.  See our Public Education tab for tips on tree safety. The use of real trees and decorations are prohibited in business offices and buildings.  At home safety for trees should be monitored as well.  Keep trees watered and spray them down with water using a spray bottle, this will keep the needles moist.  Common cause for tree fires is that the needles dry out and the trees do not have enough water to stay damp.

Outdoor Recreational fires vs Open burning

As the weather gets nicer and outdoor activities pick up, we are asked about the difference between fire pits and outdoor burning.  The main difference is you can safely have an outdoor fire in an approved device and away from combustible materials. Outdoor burning of brush, leaves and other similar growth is prohibited, unless you have a permit from the NJ State Forest Fire Service and the Fire Official.   You cannot burn brush, leaves and green growth in the approved device for recreation, this is limited to sawn wood that you would use in the fireplace.  Refer to the link on our public education site or here.

Tent and Membrane structures for use with outside dining rules

From April 1 thru November 30, all tents and membrane structures require a permit for any tent that is 900 square feet or larger or if one side of the tent measures 40 or more feet in one direction.  Tent specifications need to be submitted to the this office for review and an inspection will be required prior to issuance of the permit and before it can be used.  From December 1 thru March 31, the tent and membrane structures fall under the Uniform Construction Code and the Building Department and their permit process.

Food Truck Vendors and Trucks

All food truck vendors must take out a permit to operate within the boundaries of the township, this includes special events, employee BBQs in parking lots, and all similar events.  All vendor vehicles must be inspected prior operating at the event and need a copy of the lastest hood cleaning and suppression tests for the vehicle at the time of inspection, if they have not provided them prior to the event.  Any truck that is found to operating without a permit and do not have their inspections up to date will be asked to shutdown and leave the event. Permits can be obtained from this department and the fee associated with it can be paid at the time of application.  See this document for setup and general information.

For further information, please contact the Department of Fire Prevention during normal office hours Monday through Friday, 7 am to 3 pm.