In the picture above, Fire Marshal Roger Johnston assists ISO representatives in checking the water pressure and flow of a pressurized hydrant.

Fire Marshal S. Michael Banks (sbanks@colletoncounty.org) - (843) 539-1960 extension 1321

Smoke Detectors are life protectors.  Smoke detectors should be installed at a minimum of two per floor of your home.  They are designed to alert you during the early stages of a fire allowing time for you to escape.  If you do not have a smoke detector in your home contact Fire Marshal Banks and one will be provided and installed in your home free of charge.

Inspections

Colleton County Fire-Rescue conducts routine inspections of public occupancies.  Using the International Fire Code 2018 Edition, the International Building Code 2018 Edition, and all referenced National Fire Protection Association Standards, along with plans reviews, these inspections are to insure that public buildings are safe for the citizens of Colleton County to occupy.  These activities are coordinated by the Colleton County Fire-Rescue Fire Marshal Michael Banks.

Click here for a list of common business violations.

Pre-incident Surveys

The inspections division also insures completion of pre-incident surveys.  Pre-incident surveys are the compilation of information regarding building construction and layout, hazardous materials present, water supplies available, and number of occupants and are obtained prior to an incident occurring.  This information is very useful to operations personnel in the event of an emergency, as this critical information is immediately available when they arrive on scene.  Each year, over  650 pre-incident surveys are completed and/or updated twice.

Water Supplies

The inspections division is also responsible for insuring the completion of hydrant inspection and maintenance.  Currently, Colleton County has 296 hydrants, 179 of which are pressurized.  The remaining 117 are dry hydrants or water supply points.  Dry hydrants are pipes leading to a static water source.  When a fire occurs in an area that does not have pressurized hydrant coverage, a fire engine will respond to the dry hydrant and fill large volume tanker trucks to transport water from the dry hydrant to the scene of the fire.  All hydrants are inspected and flow tested twice each year.

Fire Alarm Ordinance

The Colleton County 2004 fiscal year budget ordinance established false fire alarm fees as follows:

The Fire Commission is empowered to charge and collect False Alarm Fees on a per location basis for any given twelve-month period as follows:

The Fire Commission is empowered to promulgate regulations to implement the charges.  Charges collected shall accrue to the Fire Operations Fund.

Building Department

The Colleton County Building Department is a separate department under Colleton County Government.  They can be contacted at (843) 549-1709.

South Carolina Forestry Commission

The South Carolina Forestry Commission governs outdoor burning in Colleton County.  They also respond to the scenes of wildland fires to assist Colleton County Fire-Rescue in suppression efforts.  Any outdoor burning must be done under strict guidelines.  At a minimum, anyone performing outdoor burning must notify the Forestry Commission at (800) 986-3599, must have adequate equipment and personnel to secure the fire and prevent its spread, and must be in attendance of the fire until it is under control.  Complete laws governing outdoor burning can be found on the South Carolina Forestry Commission's website: http://www.state.sc.us/forest/reflaws.htm#reg

South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control

The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (SCDHEC) also regulates outdoor burning.  SCDHEC limits outdoor burning fuels to yard debris (limbs, leaves, sticks).  SCDHEC strictly prohibits the burning of paint, cardboard, tires, household chemicals, construction debris, plastic, metals, treated wood, paper or petroleum products.  Complete laws governing outdoor burning can be found on the SCDHEC website: http://www.scdhec.gov/environment/baq/

South Carolina State Fire Marshal's Office

The South Carolina State Fire Marshal's Office is a division of the South Carolina Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation.  This office inspects all public schools, detention centers, LP Gas facilities, and displays where pyrotechnics will be used.  The South Carolina State Fire Marshal's Office can be contacted at (803) 896-9800 or by visiting their website at: http://www.llr.state.sc.us/firemarshal.asp

South Carolina State Fire Marshal's Office Daycare Information

All facilities licensed by the Department of Social Services (DSS) as a child care center must comply with all fire codes.  Click here to view the State Fire Marshal's Guide to DSS Licensing Process (requires PDF viewer).