There is nothing better than walking down the street on a warm sunny day and smelling the different foods being prepared on food trucks.

Until recently, food trucks did not have to follow any codes when it came to fire protection. With the boom in food trucks over the last few years, fire protection has become a big debate. After a deadly food truck explosion killed a mother and daughter in 2014, fire officials began the discussion about fire protection needs on mobile and temporary food trucks.

Recently, the NJ Uniform Fire Code 2015 edition was released, which addresses fire protection requirements for food trucks. The NFPA or National Fire Protection Association put together a checklist of food truck requirements.

There are many fire hazards that can affect food trucks. Here are some:

The mobility of a food truck creates a potential risk to the fire protection onboard. When the truck is traveling, parts on board may become loosened or damaged. If this occurs, the fire protection equipment may become compromised and the system may not work the way it is designed. These issues can be resolved by having the truck regularly inspected by a trained professional.

Another hazard is the propane tank that is often attached to the food truck. At food truck events and festivals, there are often a ton of different food trucks in one area and having one truck that is not properly maintained can cause a lot of destruction. If one truck catches fire, it is only a matter of time before the fire spreads to the neighboring trucks.

When grease builds up in a kitchen, fires are likely to occur, and this is no difference in a food truck. With a well maintained hood and a properly installed and maintained fire suppression system, fires are less likely to occur.

Did you know that City Fire installs, repairs and maintains fire protection equipment on food trucks? Whether you bring your food truck to us, or we come to you, we can do it all. If you are interested in scheduling an appointment please call 973-560-1600.