Waco officials propose requiring online portal for fire and life‑safety inspection reports

Fire Chief Robbie Bergerson asked City Council on Jan. 20 to authorize a change to city code to require fire and life‑safety inspection, testing and maintenance reports be submitted through a third‑party online portal, Inspection Reports Online.

Bergerson said the city has more than 6,900 commercial occupancies, about 1,300 of which include fire protection systems. Under the proposal a licensed provider would complete an inspection and submit the report through the portal, which would validate required fields, route information to the fire department dashboard and automate deficiency notices to owners. Owners could upload proof of correction and staff would verify completion, closing the compliance loop.

Staff said the portal has increased compliance in peer cities to nearly 90 percent after a few years of use. There is a $36 submittal fee per report; Bergerson said $10 of that would be an administrative fee to the city, an amount he described as lower than many Texas peers.

Bergerson offered examples of system failures found during paper‑based enforcement, including a six‑story office building with an inoperable sprinkler system for over two years and a blocked fire department connection. He said the portal would make inspection data available in real time to responding firefighters, improving situational awareness.

Council members asked clarifying questions about inspection frequency (initials and many annual tests remain the same) and implementation logistics. Staff said they plan outreach to fire‑protection service companies, communications support and an implementation date goal of June 1.

An ordinance for individual consideration and a resolution (listed on the consent/regular agenda) was scheduled for later in the meeting; Council did not vote on the ordinance during the work session.