Pre-Fire Planning

Who is the West Chester Fire Department?

The West Chester Fire Department, has been proudly serving our communities since 1799. Our mission is to protect and preserve the lives and property of the citizens and visitors of West Chester and its surrounding communities. Three 100% volunteer fire companies make up the West Chester Fire Department.

The WCFD provides fire and rescue services to the Borough of West Chester and parts of Birmingham, East Bradford, Thornburry, West Goshen, and Westtown Townships.  Property types within the 26.5 square miles of service area include single and multi family homes, commercial real estate, industrial facilities, farms, parks, recreation centers, education facilities, and County government facilities. See a map of our service area by clicking here.

On average, the WCFD responds to over 1,500 calls for service each year.  The WCFD also has cooperative mutual aid agreements with surrounding fire companies and is part of Chester County Fire Task Forces 1 and 2, which comprise a portion of the Southeastern Pennsylvania Regional Task Force.

What are pre-fire plans?

Pre-fire planning is a joint venture between emergency services personnel and the occupants/owners of the property. Pre-fire planning can provide valuable information which can improve the ability of firefighters to respond effectively to a fire or other emergency. Pre-fire planning can make the difference between minimal and major damage. We know that in an emergency, every second counts, and everything from training to knowing the best route to the scene of a fire can save precious seconds, which can mean saving life, limb, and property. The plan addresses vital fire protection concerns, such as: building layout, access, contents, construction details, types and locations of built-in fire protection devices. It includes all data which can have an impact on decisions or actions taken during an emergency. Pre-fire plans also will be vital in the safety/rescue of a firefighter should he/she have an emergency during the incident.

How can I request a pre-fire plan?

Pre-fire plans are intended for industrial, large commercial or high occupancy / hazard buildings.  If you would like the Fire Department to consider completing a Pre-fire plan at your property, or you have made changes to your property since our last visit, which may impact an emergency response, please contact Tom Lacorte at tlacorte@wcfiredept.org.

How often will my building be reviewed?

Generally the site will only be visited once unless significance changes have occurred to the site such as a new building, new operations, new hazardous materials, etc. Please notify WCFD should this occur.

We recently had construction done on-site, do I need a new plan?

Yes, please notify WCFD if any construction has occurred. The local code officials generally do NOT notify WCFD of any changes to the site. 

Are fire/building code officials doing the pre-fire plan?

NO. Members of the WCFD developing the Pre-fire Plan documents are not code or building officials. The West Chester Fire Department representative is volunteering his/her time to develop the plan. The sole purpose of the site visit is to gather information to develop the plan for firefighting. WCFD will NOT communicate with local code enforcement regarding our site pre-fire planning visit findings unless a serious code violation is noted or a life safety issue is discovered. We are not visiting your facility to enforce any local, state, or national fire codes.

How much will the pre-fire plan visit cost the building owner?

No charge nor any fees are incurred for the WCFD pre-plan visit.  The WCFD is 100% volunteer and will always accept donations.

Will I receive a copy of the plan?

A copy of the Pre-fire Plan will not be distributed to the public or to the business. The information is considered proprietary information for the WCFD.

What does the pre-fire plan include?

The information included is based on each occupancy and its unique hazards. They include the following (and perhaps more as needed to help command officers understand the facility/site):

• Company name, address, and driving directions
• Occupancy Classifications (such as property use, i.e. residential, commercial, etc.)
• Access Code for gates/doors, Knox Box location (click for more information on our Knox Box program)
• Aerial photos of the site
• Number of stories, building length and width, site plan, floor plans
• Building construction and materials
• Hazardous materials present and location
• Water supply information
• Defensible space around the building, including turn-around capability
• Location of both fire alarm systems and fire protection systems (sprinklers, etc.)

Where will the WCFD need to visit during the pre-fire plan?

We will need access to the entire building/site, including but not limited to, the basement, storage areas, utilities, roof if easily accessible, fire protection equipment, hazardous materials storage, etc.

How long will the site visit take?

The visit will take 1-4 hours depending on the size of the facility, number of buildings on site, complexity of the operations etc. Providing requested information prior to the visit will reduce the time needed on site.

What information will WCFD need from the building owner?

The basic information in the following PDF MAY be needed depending on the occupancy and hazards. Providing much of the information before the site visit will help prepare for the visit and will save time during the visit. The information can be sent electronically or picked up prior and/or during the visit.

Download the pre-visit checklist by clicking here.

Will the pre-fire plan site visit include photos?

The WCFD representative will take photos both inside and outside of the building. The purpose of the photos is to document the facility to familiarize our firefighters with the site. Not all photos taken will be used in the Pre-fire Plan. Site management should advise WCFD of sensitive areas that should not be included in the pre-fire planning document.

Where is the pre-fire planning information stored?

Each fire department apparatus and command vehicles have a laptop computer. The Pre-fire Plan data is accessible via the laptop computer. In addition, the Chester County 911 Dispatch Center will electronically send the electronic data to the fire equipment computer should an incident occur on site.

Who can I contact with additional questions?

Contact Tom Lacorte at tlacorte@wcfiredept.org for any questions regarding the Pre-fire Planning process.

Finished pre-fire plan document examples