Fire codes

Mississippi Fire Code & Departments

Legacy adoption vintage (2018) with a volunteer-heavy roster (270 volunteer vs 46 career departments).

International Fire Code (IFC) Adopted 2018

International Fire Code (IFC)

Mississippi adopts the IFC. The State Fire Marshal enforces codes primarily in state-owned buildings; local enforcement varies.

International Fire Code (IFC) · fires rank #33 of 51

Mississippi adopts International Fire Code (IFC) (2018), shared by 33 of 51 states in this extract. 658 fire departments; the state ranks #33 of 51 nationally by annual fires (USFA).

  • Annual-fires rank #33 of 51 nationally
  • 33 of 51 states share this code type
  • 46 career / 270 volunteer depts
658
Fire Departments
11,222
Total Personnel
270
Volunteer Depts
46
Career Depts

Largest Fire Departments in Mississippi

#1
Lafayette County Volunteer Fire Department
Oxford
196 personnel
#2
Harrison County Fire Service - Lizana Volunteer Fire Department
Saucier
184 personnel
#3
Biloxi Fire Department
Biloxi
175 personnel
#4
Gulfport Fire Department - Central
Gulfport
174 personnel
#5
Wayne County Volunteer Fire Department - Central Station
Waynesboro
160 personnel
View all 658 departments in Mississippi →

Mississippi: volunteer-led legacy code desk

Legacy vintage (2018) with volunteer share 85% (270 volunteer vs 46 career among typed orgs). Rural companies often rely on the state fire marshal for plan review while the statewide floor ages in place.

Enforcement capacity is volunteer-dominant: 270 volunteer vs 46 career departments (15% career among typed orgs), with 11,222 personnel on HIFLD. In this mix, statewide code language matters most where the state fire marshal or county inspector fills gaps rural companies cannot staff full-time. Largest roster in-state: Lafayette County Volunteer Fire Department (196 personnel, 1.7% of the state total).

USFA annual-fires rank for Mississippi is #33 of 51 (~18,900 fires/year ; 63 fire deaths; 140 injuries). Pair that incident load with the adoption vintage above when judging how hard the code is tested in the field. Figures: HIFLD Open Data ( FEMA / U.S. Fire Administration ), USFA published statistics, and state code-adoption records in this portal's extract.

Same International Fire Code (IFC) family: nearest adoption peers

  • AK · adopted 2018 (same model year)
  • AZ · adopted 2018 (same model year)
  • HI · adopted 2018 (same model year)
  • ID · adopted 2018 (same model year)
  • KS · adopted 2018 (same model year)
  • KY · adopted 2018 (same model year)

Frequently Asked Questions

What fire code does Mississippi use?
Mississippi adopts the International Fire Code (IFC) (adopted 2018). Mississippi adopts the IFC. The State Fire Marshal enforces codes primarily in state-owned buildings; local enforcement varies.
How many fire departments are in Mississippi?
Mississippi has 658 fire departments registered in the HIFLD database, including 46 career departments and 270 volunteer departments with 11,222 total personnel.
How current is Mississippi's adopted fire code?
Mississippi shows adoption year 2018 in this extract (legacy band, 2018 or earlier). Local amendments can still tighten sprinkler or wildland rules beyond the statewide floor.
How does Mississippi's fire load compare nationally?
USFA ranks Mississippi #33 of 51 by annual fires (~18,900 fires/year in this extract). Pair that load with the adoption vintage and department mix on this page, high-load states stress code enforcement differently than low-load peers on the same code family.
Data sourced from official public datasets. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainFireData

Keep reading: Methodology (HIFLD + USFA join notes for this extract).