INSPECTIONS AND CODE ENFORCEMENT 

In addition to Fire suppression and EMS, the Perrysburg Fire Division is responsible for:

• Fire code enforcement, which includes the annual fire inspection of all commercial and institutional occupancies, and building plan review of new or revised construction. 
• Public safety and prevention education. 
• Fire investigation. 

Code enforcement is primarily completed through building inspections on an annual basis, which are completed by the fire marshal and on-duty engine and truck company crews. Having these crews complete fire safety inspections allows them to become more familiar with buildings in the city, which helps them when responding to those buildings for an emergency.   

These inspections help keep the residents of Perrysburg safe by ensuring our area businesses are free of fire code violations and hazards. While conducting these inspections, fire department personnel may verify proper maintenance of fire protection equipment and the operation of fixtures such as smoke detectors, fire alarm systems and emergency lighting equipment. 

If you are a commercial building owner or business occupant in the City of Perrysburg, you can expect a fire division inspector to visit your facility approximately once a year. This annual inspection is intended to support the building owner or occupant’s responsibility to maintain a fire code violation free business, and therefore, a safer Perrysburg. 

REMODELING, ADDITIONS OR NEW BUILDING INFORMATION 

If you are planning to add on or remodel your existing building, or are planning on constructing a new building, you must have your construction documents reviewed and approved by the fire division, zoning department and building department. 

When you are planning to have work done to your building, have architectural plans drawn up and submit one complete set of drawings (digital) via email, to the fire division. The zoning office in the City of Perrysburg as well as Wood County Building will also will need a set of your plans. Please contact them for any other requirements.  

The Perrysburg Fire Division will review your plans for code compliance (we use the Ohio Fire Code). We then will send a comment letter to the zoning department of the appropriate jurisdiction and the county building department with any concerns and codes that were not addressed in the plans (please include a contact email address so you can receive a comment letter as well). 

One item the Perrysburg Fire Division does require for any new building or remodeling project where there is a fire alarm, sprinkler system, or suppression system is a Knox Box to be installed per Ohio Fire Code 506.1. This secure box contains a key you supply to the fire division which allows firefighters to enter the building without having to break in a door or window to investigate an alarm activation or if we believe entry is needed to investigate a possible fire. Click here to learn more about the Knox Box program.

If you have any questions about plan review from the fire division, please email or call Fire Marshal Aaron Harwell at aharwell@ci.perrysburg.oh.us or 419-872-8071.