About

The Office of the Oklahoma State Fire Marshal (OKSFM) was created on March 6, 1911 by House Bill No. 278 of the third legislature. Its original mission was to investigate fires and order repairs for buildings that endangered property or lives. Fire chiefs and mayors of incorporated towns were required to report fires to the State Fire Marshal.

The first annual report, filed on January 22, 1912 by State Fire Marshal C. C. Hammonds, documented 713 fires and 84 investigations between June and December 1911. 

Oklahoma’s fire history has shaped national safety standards. Following the tragic Babbs Switch fire of 1924, which claimed 36 lives at a school Christmas program near Hobart, Oklahoma, the event helped drive the adoption of more stringent life safety codes across the United States.

Oklahoma also experienced several major industrial disasters that influenced safety reforms. These tragic events helped shape Oklahoma’s push for more robust fire codes, life safety codes, industrial safety, and other enforcement standards both statewide and nationally.

More than a century later, the OKSFM receives reports of over 400,000 fires annually and conducts hundreds of investigations each year. State Fire Marshal agents also perform well over 3,000 inspections per year to ensure compliance with fire and building codes.

The office oversees the entire State of Oklahoma, ensuring that minimum code compliance and life safety requirements are met in every community.

The Oklahoma State Fire Marshal’s Office fulfills its mission by:

• Enforcing fire codes and standards adopted by the Oklahoma Uniform Building Code Commission (OUBCC), the State Fire Marshal Commission, and Oklahoma state laws
• Investigating fires, arson, and attempted arson promptly after occurrence
• Conducting fire prevention inspections in all commercial structures statewide
• Conducting jail and prison inspections to ensure compliance with fire and life safety standards
• Issuing orders for condemnation or repair of dangerous or dilapidated buildings that pose hazards to life or property
• Reviewing and permitting all occupancies as identified in the International Building Code (IBC) to ensure minimum fire and life safety requirements are met
• Overseeing Fire Standards Compliant (FSC) cigarettes under the Fire Safety Standard and Firefighter Protection Act (§74-326.1)
• Licensing and regulating fireworks display operators in accordance with state law
• Licensing and regulating the fire extinguisher industry under the Fire Extinguisher Licensing Act (§59-1820.1), with oversight by the Fire Extinguisher Industry Committee
• Managing the Firefighter Training Advisory Committee (§74-325.1) to identify firefighter training needs and establish statewide training goals
• Regulating and overseeing the storage of explosives to ensure public safety
• Collecting and analyzing statewide fire data through reports submitted by local fire departments
• Ensuring fire and life safety compliance for all State of Oklahoma property and buildings

The State Fire Marshal enforces laws related to fire and arson investigations, code enforcement, and public education. The office also assists cities, towns, and counties in enforcing building codes and standards. Municipalities may adopt stricter codes than those set by the Oklahoma Uniform Building Code Commission (OUBCC), but none may adopt weaker standards.

This framework ensures uniform safety, efficiency, and discipline across Oklahoma, while allowing communities to strengthen protections as needed.