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Fire Life Safety (FLS) Inspection Program
Some businesses, per the Redmond Fire Code, will require annual inspections for certain higher risk activities. For these inspections, the inspectors focus mostly on the specific activity being permitted, though general safety concerns will still be evaluated.
Period of Validity
Operational permits are issued for a year starting from the first day of your building's designated inspection month to the first day of the next year's inspection month.
Scheduling
Our inspectors will default to drop-in inspections. You may ask the inspector to return at a later date or schedule a date/time. Alternatively, you may email FLS@redmond.gov to schedule an appointment.
Renewals
The Redmond Fire Department will initiate renewals by conducting an inspection. You may schedule an appointment for the renewal, but it is also acceptable to wait for Redmond Fire to contact you for the inspection. Because inspections are assigned to months rather than specific dates, you may be contacted at any time during the month that your permit expires. In most circumstances, your permit will "expire" prior to the inspection; this is typical and is not a concern from Redmond Fire's standpoint.
If you have not been contacted by the end of the month, please contact FLS@redmond.gov.
What are some common inspection items?
Much of the inspection is very dependent on the specifics of your site and whom the responsibility for maintenance falls on. Very generally speaking, the inspector(s) will be checking to make sure basic safety precautions such as maintained fire alarm and fire sprinkler systems are in place and that emergency exit pathways are clearly marked, lit, and free of obstructions. The inspectors also check for common hazards or issues that may slow an emergency response.
Please note that the list below is meant to list only common items and is not comprehensive. Additional items may be required due to certain activities or setups in your building/space. Other items may not be applicable to your building/space.
If you are a tenant and not responsible for specific items, we may ask you to work with your building owner or property management company to ensure that items are addressed.
Common Life Safety Systems
Please make sure your qualified inspection company has submitted a current confidence test report to the City’s tracking system, The Compliance Engine. The minimum testing frequency has been noted in parentheses. For details, please visit our system reliability program page.
- Fire alarm system (annual)
- Fire sprinkler system (annual)
- Hood suppression (range hoods) system
- Suppression system testing (6 months)
- Hood cleaning (6 months unless otherwise approved by a fire code official)
Redmond also requires that all fire alarm systems have a current fire alarm operational permit, which is obtained by your fire alarm prime contractor on your behalf. Please see our fire alarm operational permit page for more information.
Fire Extinguishers
- Serviced annually or replaced with new extinguisher(s)
- If serviced, tagged by servicing company with date (month/year) of last service
Building Identification and Access
- Address (building number and/or suite number) is clearly visible from the fire department approach
- If your building has a fire alarm or fire sprinkler system, a Knox box is mounted on the exterior of the building and up-to-date keys are stored in the Knox box. At least one should be near the fire alarm control panel/sprinkler riser room. The inspector can assist with the updating of keys if spares are available.
Emergency Egress
- All lighted exit signs and emergency lights are functioning properly
- Exits and exit pathways are unobstructed
- Exit doors are equipped with proper hardware
Common Fire Risks
- Commercial hoods are cleaned regularly (frequency dependent on buildup)
- Power strips/extension cords are not plugged into another power strip/extension cord (daisy-chaining)
Emergency Response Obstructions
- 30-inch (76 cm) clearance in front of electrical panels and fire alarm control panels
Operational Permit-Specific Conditions
- See permit conditions on on your operational permit. Some activities have conditions that vary depending on specific variations of the activity, so we suggest going to the International Fire Code directly to see the safety precautions that would be most applicable.
Fees
Most operational permits have an associated fee per the Redmond Fire Department's fee schedule (see link below). IRS-approved 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations may be exempt from fees. If you would like to claim 501(c)(3) status, please provide a copy of the IRS-issued approval letter or your EIN to the inspector.
Reinspection Fees
Per the fee schedule, reinspections may be subject to reinspection fees as follows:
Initial inspection: Free
Reinspection 1: 30 days after inspection, free
Reinspection 2: 15 days after reinspection 1, free
Reinspection 3: 7 days after reinspection 2, $100
Reinspection 4 and subsequent reinspections: 7 days after previous inspection, $250