Fire Inspection & Investigations

Fire Inspections

Annual fire safety inspections are required for all licenced businesses and commercial structures per Florida Statute 633 and City Ordinance 2538. The purpose of these inspections are to ensure that any building in which the general public enters for business, entertainment, social, religious, or other purposes is maintained in a fire safe status; and, they provide the owner/occupant of the building an indication of fire/safety hazards so they may correct the hazards to reduce their liability and potential for loss due to a fire.

*Schedule of Fees and Fines Pertaining to Life Safety Inspections Provided by the Panama City Fire Department.

1. First inspection : No Fee

2. First re-inspection: No Fee

3. Second re-inspection: $50.00 Fine

4. Third re-inspection: $100.00 Fine

5. Fourth and all subsequent re-inspections: $250.00 Fine

Fire Investigations

A Fire and Arson Investigation is a complicated process that requires a coordinated effort between the Panama City Fire Department, the State Fire Marshal's Office and the Panama City Police Department. This cooperative arrangement melds the combined resources of the fire and law enforcement communities to improve our fire investigation and arson detection capabilities.

Determining Causes

The cause of most fires are determined by the firefighting crews that respond to them. However, if a fire cause cannot be determined, if there is a high dollar loss, an injury or fatality, or if the Battalion Chief on duty suspects that the fire is of a suspicious origin, one of our investigators may be called upon to assist in determining the fire's cause.

Reporting Arson

If you have any information concerning an arson fire or other fire you believe to be of suspicious origin, please feel free to call or email your information to any of the Investigators listed below:

In addition to the resources stated above, suspicious and/or arson fires can also be reported to the Florida State Fire Marshal's Office or Crime Stoppers. In some cases, a reward may be offered for information which leads to the arrest and / or conviction of a suspected arsonist.