Editing Fire marshal (section)

=== Florida Fire Marshal ===

[[File:Jimmy Patronis with Florida Fire Marshals.jpg|thumb|Florida CFO, Jimmy Patronis, with Fire Marshals]]

The Florida Division of State Fire Marshal (SFM) is located within the Department of Financial Services, where the [[Chief Financial Officer of Florida]] (CFO) also serves as Florida's State Fire Marshal.

The SFM office serves local fire departments who request assistance with conducting fire investigations and provides fire training colleges throughout the state.  It is headquartered in Tallahassee, with numerous field offices located across the state.<ref>[http://www.flsenate.gov/Statutes/index.cfm?App_mode=Display_Statute&URL=Ch0633/ch0633.htm Statutes]</ref>

The investigators working for the SFM office are sworn law enforcement officers, with powers to make arrests, conduct searches and seizures, serve summonses, and carry firearms.  These law enforcement officers conduct complex investigations and have the ability to make arrests statewide.  Investigators conduct thousands of fire-related investigations each year, with approximately 45% being determined to be arson in 2009.  Florida SFM investigators make arrest in 18% of the arson fires investigated, which is above the national average of 16%.  Fire investigations are complex and potentially dangerous.<ref>[http://www.myfloridacfo.com/sfm/bfai/bfai_index.htm Bureau of Fire and Arson Investigations] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100711065851/http://www.myfloridacfo.com/sfm/bfai/bfai_index.htm |date=2010-07-11 }}</ref>

The Florida SFM Forensic Laboratory receives and examines over 10,000 evidence submissions every year.  These submissions come from fire departments, police departments, sheriff's offices and SFM investigators.  The crime laboratory offers a wide variety of services to include examination of fire debris, explosives analysis, image reproduction and forensic video analysis.  The forensic experts in the laboratory conduct consultations with investigators, prosecutors, and other attorneys on analyses and general aspects of forensic science.  These consultations are often in preparation for expert witness testimony in criminal court.<ref>[http://www.myfloridacfo.com/sfm/lab/BFEA_index.htm Bureau of Forensic Fire and Explosive Analysis] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100904075204/http://www.myfloridacfo.com/sfm/lab/BFEA_index.htm |date=2010-09-04 }}</ref>

The Florida SFM office issues over 3,000 basic firefighter certifications every year.  There are thirty-five certified training centers located across the state and the Florida State Fire College.  The State Fire College trains over six thousand students per year in a wide variety of certification and professional development programs to include Pump Operator, Fire Officer, Fire Investigator, HAZMAT, etc.<ref>[http://www.myfloridacfo.com/sfm/bfst/bfst_index.htm Bureau of Fire Standards and Training] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100827095651/http://www.myfloridacfo.com/sfm/bfst/bfst_index.htm |date=2010-08-27 }}</ref>

The Florida SFM is responsible for inspecting over 14,000 state-owned buildings every year.  SFM code enforcement and inspection activities also reach over 16,000 public and private buildings; to include prisons, universities, public schools, thousands of fuel-fired boiler systems, hundreds of construction mining sites and explosive storage locations each year.<ref>[http://www.myfloridacfo.com/sfm/bfpr/bfpr_index.htm Bureau of Fire Prevention] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100731122750/http://www.myfloridacfo.com/sfm/bfpr/bfpr_index.htm |date=2010-07-31 }}</ref>

The Florida Fire Incident Reporting Section collects over 1,800,000 fire and emergency reports per year.  These local fire department and fire service reports are combined with the other states reports in the National Fire Incident Reporting System (NFIRS) for use by the fire services in analysis and trends. The Florida reports are also used to form the basis for the SFM Annual Report "Florida Fires".<ref>[http://www.myfloridacfo.com/sfm/ffirs.htm Fire and Emergency Incident Reporting Section] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100725204815/http://www.myfloridacfo.com/sfm/ffirs.htm |date=2010-07-25 }}</ref>

The SFM has authority to implement rules that conform to the standards of fire safety and the need to protect Floridians from fire hazards.  Additionally, the SFM shall adopt and administer rules prescribing standards for the safety and health of occupants of educational and ancillary facilities pursuant to ss. 633.022, 1013.12, 1013.37, and 1013.371.

In any county that does not employ or appoint a local fire official, the State Fire Marshal shall assume the duties of the local fire official with respect to fire safety inspections of educational property required under s. 1013.12(2)(b), and the State Fire Marshal may take necessary corrective action as authorized under s. 1013.12(5).