Fire Safety & Prevention

Responsibilities

The Fire Marshal serves as the Fire Official for Cherry Hill Township. With the help of the Fire Prevention Inspectors, the Fire Marshal is responsible for inspecting all commercial facilities and multi-family occupancies to ensure they are in accordance with regulations outlined in the Uniform Fire Safety Act of New Jersey, the National Fire Protection Association and local ordinance (PDF).

The Fire Inspectors serve as the Department’s representatives within the business and residential community, and, while seeking compliance with the fire code, also educate property owners in fire prevention methods.

Education

The Office of the Fire Marshal oversees the Community Education Division, including Fire Safety and Emergency Preparedness. From Fire Prevention Inspectors to the Firefighters in the field, the entire Fire Department takes responsibility in educating the public through various residential and commercial programs.

Fire Investigations

Any fire occurring within Cherry Hill that results in significant damage to property, death, serious injury or is considered suspicious in nature is investigated by the Cherry Hill Fire Marshal, interacting with local and federal law enforcement and other investigating agencies to ensure a thorough investigation. The term "Fire Investigation" describes a broad range of activities that deal with post incident data gathering and analysis to document origin, cause, and development of a fire or explosion. Fire investigations are conducted to determine what can be learned from a particular fire incident in hopes of preventing a similar incident from occurring. If a fire is deemed to be intentionally set, the Fire Marshal will work closely with local law enforcement during the criminal aspect of the investigation.