Fire Prevention Division

Providing fire and life safety inspection and hazard abatement services

Fire Prevention Office

835 Central Avenue
Tracy, CA 95376
Phone: (209) 831-6707
Email: firedept@ci.tracy.ca.us

 

Fire Prevention in the Home

Every year Tracy Fire Department performs fire inspections on all businesses within the City. We do this to ensure that the business is safe from the dangers of fire, for workers and patrons alike. But think about where you spend most of your time. It's in the home. Here are some frightening statistics that remain constant every year. Every year, 5,000 Americans die in home fires. That's 13 people every day, dying in their homes. Fire destroys property at a rate of $7440 a minute, every minute of the day. Don't become a casualty in your own home; do some fire prevention all over your home.

Start in your sleeping areas, more than half of all fatal home fires occur while sleeping. You can cut your chances by installing and maintaining working smoke detectors. We recommend you install smoke detectors on all levels of your home and in every sleeping bedroom. If you smoke, don't do it in bed. It's one of the highest causes of fatal bedroom fires.

Next look for hazards in the kitchen. Stove burners and ovens are the most likely the cause for burns and kitchen fires. Never leave cooking unattended. Check to make sure your stove is free of grease and debris. Keep flammable items away from heat sources. These items include pot holders, towels, curtains, and other combustibles. When cooking, keep pot handles turned in. That's just one of the many ways to prevent children from being burned. Finally, get a multi-purpose fire extinguisher to protect you in case of a grease fire. Never use water to fight grease fires.

In the living room, check TVs, VCRs, and stereos to make sure they have space around them to prevent overheating. Feel all electrical cords to ensure they are not hot and could possibly spark a fire. Inspect the electrical cords to make sure that they are not frayed. If so, replace them immediately. Don't plug in too many appliances into an outlet; this could cause an overload. Instead buy a power strip. They can accept six appliances only using one socket, and they have an internal circuit breaker for added protection. Finally, if you smoke, take caution! Cigarettes have been known to smolder over three hours before igniting a fire.

Often overlooked is the basement, storage areas, and sheds. If you keep gasoline on hand, store it outside your home or in a detached garage. Keep only small quantities, and use a laboratory-approved gasoline can. Always store paint and other flammable liquids in their original, labeled containers with tight-fitting lids. Store flammables well away from heat sources such as heaters and pilot lights. Dispose of unnecessary trash, such as sawdust and wood shavings, around the work bench which could fuel a fire. Consider inspecting and cleaning your heating equipment every year. Lastly, don't store anything near the heaters, and provide at least 30 inches clearance to the electrical panel.

Lastly, have you pre-planned what you and your family will do in an emergency? Not only in case of a house fire, but also in the event of earthquakes, power outages, and medical emergencies that require first aid or CPR. A little pre-planning can very well save the life of a loved one.

A quick tour of your house, a few dollars invested in smoke detectors, and a little pre-planning will go a long way to ensure a fire-safe home. If you have and questions or would like more ideas on how to make your house fire-safe feel free to call the Tracy Fire Department at (209) 831-6700.

Fire Permits Information

Do you need a fire permit?

Background Information

The Uniform Fire Code contains a list of activities, operations, practices or functions for which permits are required. For each of the permitted activities, detailed safety guidelines and requirements can be found in other sections of the Uniform Fire Code. The intent of the permit system is to insure that potentially hazardous uses or processes are conducted in accordance with accepted safety standards and guidelines.

For example, prior to issuing a permit to operate a place of assembly an inspection would be needed to insure that the safety provisions in Article 12 and Article 25 deals with general guidelines for all places of assembly.

Please review the following list of activities which require a permit. If you will be conducting any of these activities, please contact the Fire Prevention Office so that we can arrange for an inspection and the issuing of any needed permits.

Permits Are Required For:

Aerosol Products

To store or handle over 500 lbs. net weight.

Automobile Wrecking Yard

To operate an automobile wrecking yard.

Bowling Pin or Alley Refinishing

Candles and Open Flames

To use in a place of public assembly.

Carnivals or Fairs

To conduct a carnival or fair.

Cellulose Nitrate Storage

More than 25 lbs.

Combustible Fiber Storage

In excess of 100 cubic feet.

Combustible Material Storage

To store more than 2500 cubic feet of combustible empty packing cases, boxes, barrels or similar containers, or rubber or cork, or other similarly combustible material.

Compressed Gases

To store, use or handle compressed gases in excess of the amounts in Uniform Fire Code, table 105-A.

Commercial Rubbish

To operate a commercial rubbish handling operation.

Cryogens

To store or handle cryogenis in excess of the amounts in table 105-A.

Dry Cleaning Plants

To engage in the business of dry cleaning.

Dust Producing Operations

As defined in U.F.C. Article 2.

Explosive or Blasting Agents

To use or store explosives or blasting agents.

Fire Hydrant and Water Control Valves

To use a fire hydrant or operate a water control valve intended for fire-suppression purposes.

Fireworks Display

To conduct a fireworks display.

Flammable or Combustible Liquid Pipeline

To use, operate, repair or modify.

Flammable or Combustible Liquid Storage or Handling

To store, handle or use Class 1 liquids in excess of 5 gallons in a building or in excess of 10 gallons outside a building or to store, handle or use Class II or Class III-A liquids in excess of 25 gallons in a building or in excess of 60 gallons outside a building.

Flammable or Combustible Liquid Tank

To install, alter, remove, abandon, place temporarily out of service or otherwise dispose of a flammable or combustible liquid tank.

Fruit Ripening

To operate a fruit-ripening process regulated by U.F.C. Article 46.

Hazardous Materials

To store, dispense, use or handle hazardous materials in excess of the amounts listed in U.F.C. Table 105-C or to install, repair, abandon, remove, place temporarily out of service, close or substantially modify a storage facility or other area regulated by U.F.C. Article 80.

High-piled Combustible Storage

In excess of 500 sq. feet.

Liquefied Petroleum Gases

To store, use, handle or dispense LP-gas, or to install or maintain LP-gas containers of 125-gallons or greater aggregate water capacity.

Liquid or Gas-fueled Vehicles or Equipment in Assembly Buildings

To display, compete or demonstrate liquid- or gas-fueled vehicles or equipment in assembly buildings.

Lumber Yards

To store lumber in excess of 100,000 board feet.

Magnesium Working

To melt, cast, heat treat or grind more than 10 lbs. of magnesium per working day.

Mall, covered

To place temporary kiosks, display booths, concession equipment or the like in the mall, to use a mall as a place of assembly, to use open-flame or flame-producing devices, to display any liquid- or gas-fueled powered equipment.

Motor Vehicle Fuel-dispensing Stations

To dispense flammable or combustible liquids, liquefied petroleum gases or compressed natural gas at a motor vehicle fuel-dispensing station.

Open Burning

To conduct open burning.

Organic Coatings

To manufacture more than 1 gallon per day.

Ovens, Industrial Baking or Drying

To operate an industrial baking or drying oven regulated by Article 62.

Parade Floats

To use a parade float for a public performance, presentation, spectacle, entertainment or parade.

Places of Assembly

To operate a place of assembly. A Place of Assembly is defined as the gathering together of 50 or more persons for such purposes as deliberation, education, instruction, worship, entertainment, amusement, drinking, dining or awaiting transportation.

Pyrotechnical Special Effects Material

As required in U.F.C. Article 78.

Radioactive Materials

To store or handle at any installation more than 1 microcurie of radioactive material not contained in a sealed source or more than 1 millicurie or radioactive material in a sealed source or sources.

Refrigeration Equipment

To install or operate a mechanical refrigeration unit or system regulated by U.F.C. Article 63.

Repair Garages

To use a structure as a place of business for servicing or repairing motor vehicles.

Spraying or Dipping

To conduct a spraying or dipping operation utilizing flammable or combustible liquids or the application of combustible powders regulated by U.F.C. Article 45.

Tents, Canopies and Temporary Membrane Structures

To erect or operate a tent or air-supported temporary membrane structure having an area in excess of 200 square feet or a canopy in excess of 400 square feet, except for structures used exclusively for camping.

Tire Storage

To use an open area or portion thereof to store tires in excess of 1,000 cubic feet.

Welding and Cutting Operations

To conduct welding or cutting operations in an occupancy.