The Paterson, NJ, Fire Department is one of the busiest in the country, serving a jurisdiction of 8.4 square miles. Each year, the department responds to approximately 300 fires, of which 50% are classified as major fires — incidents with significant environmental and public safety consequences that require the deployment of substantial resources. To mitigate fire risk, the department conducts building safety inspections across schools, businesses, and multi-family residential properties. However, understaffing and a daily call volume of 10 to 12 fire incidents have forced inspections to focus primarily on properties with active complaints and registered code violations, shifting the department’s approach from preventive to reactive.

The goal of this project is to help them minimize and mitigate preventable fires and the impact of fires that can occur as a result of overlooked safety conditions in buildings