Fire Prevention Division

Fire disasters are a part of American history.  The Triangle Shirtwaist Fire, The Winecroft Hotel, the World Trade Center…each a sad chapter in our national history.  Reflection and study of these disasters yields the same basic conclusion,

fire tragedies are best limited by proactive measures.

In 1972 a report was commissioned by the President to study the fire problem in America.  This report,  America Burning, concluded that prevention was the key to improving fire safety.  As a result, many fire departments, who had previously given little attention to fire prevention, became involved in proactive fire management. 

The Prevention Triad

• Code Enforcement

• Public Education

• Fire Investigation

Under the direction of the Fire Marshal, the Prevention Division reviews plans and performs inspections of buildings under construction.  This assures that the building has the built-in safety features that make it inherently fire safe.  Then inspections are performed on all existing buildings to make sure fire safety features are maintained.  This is the essence of fire code enforcement.

The second way to affect the outcome of a fire before it occurs is to educate the public on how to prevent a fire or respond to it.   Each year the fire department gives hundreds of presentations to Leawood school children on the importance of smoke detectors and home escape plans.  The Fire Marshal also teaches classes to area employers on how to use fire extinguishers and evacuate buildings. 

The last leg of the triad is fire investigation.  The purpose of investigating fires is to understand where and how the fire started.   In some cases this involves a finding of arson.  More often it reveals negligence and the Fire Marshal’s report is pivotal in any subsequent litigation.  In addition to the Fire Marshal, there are a number of firefighters trained in fire investigation who can perform fire cause analysis and reporting.

For additional information about the Fire Prevention Division, or about any prevention or inspection issue, please don't hesitate to contact me.

Gene Hunter

Fire Marshal               Meet The Fire Marshal

City of Leawood

(913) 681-6788 x 13