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Frequently Asked Questions

The material in this question and answer series is for your information only. It is not legal advice and is not designed to be used in place of legal advice. You should consult your own attorney for legal advice. The St. Joseph Legal Department provides this series to provide a general summary of procedures concerning violations of city ordinances in the City of St. Joseph, Missouri. It is issued to inform generally, not to advise of specific rights. As with any general information, the answers given here may not specifically apply to you.
My building has a sprinkler system. Are there things I should do to maintain the system?
If you own the building, you are required to see that the system is tested annually by a reputable contracted agency and the documentation of this test should be kept on file for the fire department to view in accordance with International Fire Code chapter 9. If there is a system in your building it must be in operational condition at all times. If you are a tenant or owner-occupant, there are other things you can do to be sure your system is ready in case it is needed. Never paint a sprinkler head. Each sprinkler head is designed to cover a certain amount of area in your building so before you build walls or large shelving units or stack storage to the ceiling, check with your fire inspector to be sure what you do won’t prevent the sprinkler head from doing it’s job. Also, never hang anything from a sprinkler head.

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1. How can I become a firefighter in St. Joseph?
2. What programs are available from the Fire Department?
3. When are the burning periods?
4. The Fire Department has been inspecting my building for many years and has never mentioned a violation in the past. Why are they indicating a violation this time?
5. When I need a permit, whom do I call for an inspection?
6. What is a KNOX Box?
7. Can I purchase a rapid entry key system (Knox Box) for my business?
8. What code does the City of St Joseph Fire Department use?
9. My building has a sprinkler system. Are there things I should do to maintain the system?
10. My building has a fire alarm system. Are there things I should do to maintain the system?
11. Our alarm system keeps having false alarms. The alarm goes off but no fire is found. Can’t we do something about this?
12. I’ve heard quite a lot about carbon monoxide. Could I have this in my house and do I need a carbon monoxide detector?
13. Can I burn brush or yard waste in St. Joseph?
14. How can I get a fire truck to come to my event?
15. People completely disregard the fire lanes in my building. What can I do about it?
16. If during an inspection a violation is found how long do I have to fix it?