Oklahoma State Fire Marshal

Office of the Oklahoma State Fire Marshal
Agency overview
Formed	July 1, 1965
Headquarters	Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
Employees	29 classified 4 unclassified
Annual budget	$ 1.6 million
Minister responsible	Kevin Ward, Secretary of Safety and Security
Agency executives	Robert Doke, State Fire Marshal Jerry Pruner, Assistant State Fire Marshal
Parent agency	Oklahoma State Fire Marshal Commission
Website
Oklahoma State Fire Marshal

The Oklahoma State Fire Marshal is the chief firefighter of the state of Oklahoma. The State Fire Marshal oversees the operation of the Office of the State Fire Marshal, which is a law enforcement agency of the state. The State Fire Marshal is charged with the of preservation of life and property through enforcement of criminal statutes and mandated fire prevention safety codes.

The State Fire Marshal is appointed by the State Fire Marshal Commission, a seven member board appointed by the Governor of Oklahoma with the approval of the Oklahoma Senate. The current State Fire Marshal is Robert Doke.

The Office of the State Fire Marshal was created in 1965 during the term of Governor Henry Bellmon.

State Fire Marshal Commission

The State Fire Marshal Commission is a seven-member commission that supervises the operations of the State Fire Marshal and provides such policy and regulation of the State Fire Marshal as is needed. Commission members are appointed by the Governor of Oklahoma, with the consent of the Oklahoma Senate, and serve staggered five-year terms. Commissioners represent Safety Engineers, State Fire Firefighters, Oklahoma Municipalities, Oklahoma Fire Chiefs, Professional Firefighters, and Oklahoma Electricians.

Appointment and qualifications

The Commission appoints the State Fire Marshal by a majority vote based solely on administrative ability and experience. Any potential appointee must be a person of good moral character, a resident of Oklahoma at the time of appointment, possess or obtain a valid Oklahoma driver license and be a citizen of the United States. The State Fire Marshal must have a minimum of ten years' experience in fire protection, fire prevention, investigation, or criminal justice. The Commission may also require such additional qualifications as it deems needed.

If the Commission so deems, the State Fire Marshal may be required to obtain certification as a peace officer from the Council on Law Enforcement Education and Training, and will be subject to an extensive background investigation, psychological testing, and drug testing.

Duties and powers

The State Fire Marshal is responsible for enforcing the State Fire Code. The State Fire Marshal serves as staff to the Oklahoma Council on Firefighter Training.

Divisions

• Administration Division
• Fire Investigations Division
  • Oklahoma Fire Investigation Reporting System
• Fire Protection and Prevention Division

The Office of the State Fire Marshal compiles and documents every fire in the state by receiving annual incident reports from all fire departments in the state as required by law. This information is collected under the Oklahoma Fire Incident Reporting System (OFIRS) as directed by the State Fire Marshal Commission and reported to the National Fire Incident Reporting System. OFIRS is used to gather and analyze information on the State's fire problem, as well as its detailed characteristics and trends.

See also

• Fire marshal
• Firefighter