Fire Safety Program (FSP)

The Fire Safety Program (FSP) identifies all fire safety risks and strives to provide fire safe facilities and protect individuals from the adverse affects of fire through high-quality fire prevention, education, and suppression programs. The FSP applies to all offices under the authority of the Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs (AS-IA) and includes all offices that report to AS-IA such as the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE).

Fire safety involves more than just assessing actual fires, but fire safety hazards that could potentially create a fire. Some examples of fire hazards in the context of the FSP include improper or excessive storage of flammable liquids and/or accumulation of combustible materials in IA facilities, blocked exits, opened fire doors, untested fire alarms, or exceeding occupancy limits in IA facilities.

Other examples of fire hazards can be something as small as overloading electrical outlets, daisy-chaining power strips, or even plugging multiple appliances into power strips within IA facilities. These can cause electrical fires, which could spread easily through the walls and insulation of IA facilities, resulting in major structural damage as traditional firefighting methods may not apply in case of an electrical fire (i.e. water can conduct electricity and thus cause electrocution).

Responsibilities

The Division of Safety and Risk Management (DSRM) administers the FSP. This policy applies to all offices under the authority of the Assistant Secretary of Indian Affairs (AS-IA), including offices that report to AS-IA, such as the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and the Bureau of Indian Education (BIE).

The Director of the Office of Facilities, Property, and Safety Management (OFPSM) is responsible for providing oversight, policy, and procedures that govern IA facilities management, construction, property, and safety and risk management that includes the administration and management of the FSP.

The Division Chief of DSRM under OFPSM is responsible for serving as the Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) as defined in applicable codes and standards and also serves as the IA Fire Marshal. The Division Chief also manages the FSP to ensure efficient and uniform level of protection throughout the IA's jurisdiction and develops IA-wide technical and programmatic guidelines and methodologies to implement and enforce fire safety programs and activities. Additional responsibilities for the Division Chief of DSRM and other stakeholders can be viewed in Part 25 of the Indian Affairs Manual (IAM), Chapter 8.

Reporting Fires

To report any fire risks/hazards, fire damage, or fire loss, please use the forms below. If you have any further questions or concerns regarding the FSP, you can contact the DSRM below.