Community Risk Reduction 

The Division Chief of Community Risk Reduction direct the day to day operations of the division, reporting directly to the Fire Chief. The Community Risk Reduction Division also known as C.R.R. is responsible for a wide range of activities that are aimed toward making the community a safer place to live and conduct business.  These activities include commercial plan reviews, fire and life safety inspections, fire investigations, and direct fire safety education and training for the public and for the department. The division is broken down into engineering review and code enforcement, law and ordinance enforcement, and education. Community Risk Reduction is charged with conducting fire and life safety inspections to help reduce the loss of lives and property through enforcement of laws and regulations governing fire safety. The Office of the Harrison Fire Marshal is a law enforcement agency within the division and is staffed by three sworn law enforcement officers known as Fire Marshals who conduct investigations, write citations and make arrest on person’s who commit fire related crimes. 

The Community Risk Reduction Division reviews all commercial plans prior to the issuance of permits and all applicable sub-permits for the construction of: 

• New commercial buildings
• Commercial additions and renovations
• New residential homes
• Residential additions and remodels
• Decks, and storage buildings
• Special use permitting
• Business licensing
• Rental permitting
• Firework permitting
• Amusement permitting
• Daycare permitting 

These two following questions are the most asked by home and property owners. Click on the question and see if the answers help. If not feel free to give us a call. 

As a home or property owner when do I need a permit?

What are the things I need to look for when selecting a contractor?  

Current Version of Codes

2021 IFC/Arkansas Fire Prevention Code I, II, III 

2021 Mechanical Code

2020 Electrical Code

2018 Plumbing Code

2018 Fuel & Gas Code

CONTRACTOR LICENSING

The following license information, by trade, is required in order to obtain a permit in the City of Harrison:

• State Contractors License
• Master Plumbing License
• Master Electrical License
• Mechanical License

BUSINESS LICENSE

The Community Risk Reduction Division conducts Certificate of Occupancy inspections for new businesses. The Division should be contacted prior to opening to schedule a date and time for the inspection. Any new business, change of location or change of ownership shall require an occupancy inspection. 

Interested in starting a business? Visit the following site for information to help you achieve your dream: http://www.dreamitdoitarkansas.com/

Common IFC Violations for Business

RESIDENTIAL RENTAL PROPERTY PERMIT 

The City of Harrison requires a rental permit for all Residential Rental Property in which three (3) or more individual dwelling units are attached and are owned by the same person or entitiy. Under City Ordinance, Residential Rental Property does not include single, individual, stand-alone rentals that are unattached to other properties or rentals. 

Owners shall register their Residential Rental Property/Properties with the Harrison Fire Department Community Risk Reduction Division. No permit fee will be charged for registration. 

Upon the completion of the initial registration process, a permit will be issued and shall be valid until December 31’st of each year. Renewal of the permit is required on an annual basis. Properties may be inspected by the Fire Deparment Community Risk Reduction Division as part of the permitting process. 

Failure to register as outlined above and/or failure to maintain current registration through permit renewal shall be deemed a misdemeanor ordinance violation.

Download Residential Rental Permit

FIRE INVESTIGATIONS

Fire investigations are conducted by on duty members of the Operations Division and by the Fire Marshals who are overseen by the Division Chief of Community Risk Reduction. Investigations are conducted into both criminal and non-criminal fire causes and conditions. Fire Investigators work in conjunction with the Harrison Police Department Criminal Investigation Division. 

FIRE SAFETY EDUCATION

Fire Safety Education is a part of the overall duties assigned to the Harrison Fire Department. The Community Risk Reduction Division oversees the Fire Safety Education Committee on all public education and training programs that are used in the community. Firefighters conduct station tours of their assigned statsions, as well as providing fire company tours and presenting educational programs to students. 

INSPECTIONS & PERMITS

Downloadable Construction Permits

CODE ENFORCEMENT

Code Enforcement Officers enforce state laws and ordinances/codes adopted by the City of Harrison including but not limited to Fire Code, Building Code, Plumbing Code, Electrical Code, Clean Premises, and Business Licensing. The Code Enforcement Officer is authorized to write citations when a violation has occurred. Complaints or violations of the Clean Premises ordinance can be made by completing the Property Maintenance complaint form.

The authority for the City of Harrison to create and enforce a clean premises ordinance comes from the State of Arkansas Code Annotated 14-54-901, which reads as follows. 

State of Arkansas Code Annotated § 14-54-901: Incorporated towns and cities of the first and second class are empowered to order the owner of lots and other real property within their towns or cities to cut weeds; to remove garbage, rubbish, and other unsightly and unsanitary articles and things upon the property; and to eliminate, fill up, or remove stagnant pools of water or any other unsanitary thing, place, or condition which might become a breeding place for mosquitoes, flies, and germs harmful to the health of the community, after the town or city has provided therefor by an ordinance to that effect.