Nassau County Fire Marshals Office

The Nassau County Fire Marshals Office (Nassau County, Long Island, New York) was created by the County of Nassau and the Nassau County Fire Commission in 1928. The mission of the Nassau County Fire Marshals Office is to provide support services to the 71 Fire Departments protecting the 1.5 Million residents of Nassau County, and to conduct inspections and other activities necessary to insuring the safety of those who live, work, and play in Nassau County.

The Nassau County Fire Marshals Office enforces the Nassau County Fire Prevention Ordinance, regulating fire safety in the County. The office performs fire inspections, oversees new commercial construction, performs plan review, inspects fire safety and fire protection systems, licenses certain businesses and contractors installing fire protection systems, and issues permits for both residential and commercial fire alarm systems. Inspection and enforcement activities are sub divided into three Divisions, each with a particular responsibility by type of occupancy.

The Nassau County Fire Marshals Office maintains a Level 1 Emergency Hazardous Materials Response Team manned 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for response to emergency situations requiring hazardous materials technical and operational support. The Haz-Mat Division works directly with the Fire Service, as well as local, state, and federal agencies. They maintain a highly trained response ready posture at all times. The Hazardous Materials Division is an integral part of the County's overall domestic preparedness plans and procedures. When not on assignment, the Haz-Mat Team on duty assists other divisions as necessary providing additional manpower. In addition to emergency response, the Haz-Mat Division works to protect the environment by enforcing regulations and laws concerning the illegal discharge of oils, fuels, and other substances onto the roadways or into the waterways of Nassau County.

The Nassau County Fire Marshals Office also provides fire and arson investigation services through the Bureau of Fire Investigation (B.F.I.) The Bureau of Fire Investigation also operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week responding to the scene of fires to assist the local fire department in determining the origin and cause of the fire. B.F.I. works directly with the Nassau County Police Department Arson / Bomb Squad, State and Federal authorities in investigating cases of suspected arson.

The Nassau County Fire Marshals Office offers a Juvenile Firesetter Intervention Program for youth involved in fireplay and firesetting. The J.F.I. program is administered by the Bureau of Fire Investigation and offered in cooperation with Nassau County Family Court, the Nassau County Attorneys Office, and the Nassau County Department of Probation Family Unit. The program is educational in nature, and based on standards developed by the U.S. Fire Administration.

The Nassau County Fire Marshals Office is headed by the Chief Fire Marshal, Thomas E. Tilley who has ultimate command over the department. Chief Tilley has 4 Assistant Chief Fire Marshals, each of which oversee a branch of the office. Each Inspection / Enforcement Division, as well as the Hazardous Materials Division, and the Bureau of Fire Investigation are commanded by a Division Supervisor. Each Division Supervisor is responsible for their Division and its members. Assisting the Division Supervisors are a total 7 Field Supervisors who directly supervise the day to day activities of Fire Marshals in the field.

All Nassau County Fire Marshals (regardless of Division assignment) are trained to the highest level possible in several disciplines. Each is a NYS Code Enforcement Officer, NYS Hazardous Materials Technician or Specialist, NYS Emergency Medical Technician, NYS Confined Space Rescue Technician, and all have specialized training in Response to Weapons of Mass Destruction Incidents, Incident Command / NIMS, and courses of instruction offered by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Department of Justice, and Department of Defense. Members of the Bureau of Fire Investigation in addition to that already mentioned, have specialized training in Fire and Arson Investigation, Advanced Arson for Profit Investigation, Crime Scene Photography, Evidence Collection, and Interview and Interrogation training. Members are required to refresh this training on a regular and ongoing basis.

All Nassau County Fire Marshals assigned to the Enforcement and Hazardous Materials Divisions of the office are uniformed, armed law enforcement personnel. All Fire Marshals assigned to the Bureau of Fire Investigation are armed law enforcement personnel in business attire. All Nassau County Fire Marshals are New York State Peace Officers. Nassau County Fire Marshals write Court Appearance Tickets, have subpoena power, and make arrests in connection with their duties. Members are often required to give testimony in court on criminal and civil cases as a result.

The Nassau County Fire Marshals Office has a fleet of marked sedans, in addition to several pieces of specialized equipment including Hazardous Materials Response Vehicles, Decontamination Units, Mobile Supply Units, and a Fire Scene Investigation and Mobile Command Unit.

Candidates to the Nassau County Fire Marshals Office, must first serve at least 5 years in the Nassau County Fire Service. They must be a high school graduate, possess a valid drivers license, and have Hazardous Materials Awareness training. Upon meeting that criteria, they must successfully pass a written examination administered by the New York State Civil Service Commission. Those who pass the examination are placed on a hiring list. As vacancies in the department occur, potential candidates are interviewed and subsequently appointed by the Nassau County Fire Commission. New appointees are hired at the rank of Fire Marshal Trainee, and must complete all required training and probation within 2 years in order to attain the permanent rank of Fire Marshal. Ranks above that of Fire Marshal (Field Supervisor, Division Supervisor, Assistant Chief Fire Marshal, and Chief Fire Marshal) are attained by New York State Civil Service promotional exams.