Community Risk Reduction Division

The Community Risk Reduction Division (CRR) is responsible for fire safety code enforcement, fire investigations, and public education.

Education & Fire Life Safety

We oversee education programs about fire safety and do presentations to school groups, senior citizens, and others. We have a Juvenile Firesetter Program to work with children who have been caught setting fires and an Adventure Intervention Mentor Program that works with high-risk children to reduce the rate of recurrence of incidents involving fire.

Fire & Life Safety Inspection Program

The CRR conducts fire and life safety inspections of businesses to keep you safe and ensure compliance with the Statewide Fire Prevention Code. Find out more about our inspection program. To request an inspection, call 757-382-2489 or Request an inspection online.

Investigations

The CRR handles all investigations for suspicious fires and incidents of hazardous materials, explosive devices, bomb threats, threats to burn, and other offenses. We work diligently to find the cause of every fire in Chesapeake to keep you safe.

Plans Review

The CRR reviews numerous types of plans and permits including fire protection system plans, site and subdivision plans, Operational Fire Code Permits, and conditional use permits to ensure fire & life safety compliance with the Statewide Fire Prevention Code. 

• The review process encompasses all buildings (new, alterations, additions, or modifications) and facilities that involve fire protection systems, hazardous processes, fire protection water supply, and emergency access. Submit plans and application electronically which is the preferred method via Accela/eBuild, unless submitting paper plans then utilize the following link to download, fill out and submit the paper application with the plans and corresponding review fee: Fire Protection or Hazardous Materials System Permit Application and PFM, Chapter 13 - Fire Protection (review process overview &  links to various criteria).
• The CRR charges fees for fire protection or hazardous materials systems to cover the review process including the research of all necessary code(s) and standard(s) to verify compliance, actual review of the plan, time spent consulting with contractors, developers, engineers, and/or architects, and field inspections. This fee must be paid prior to any plan being accepted for review. View: Plan Review Fees. Review fees for site plans and conditional use permits that the CRR participates in are charged by the Department of Development & Permits and the Planning Department.

Records Request

To request documents from the Chesapeake Fire Department, Virginia Freedom of Information Report (FOIA).