Frequently Asked Questions

If you smell gas in your home, immediately evacuate the building and call 9-1-1. Do not turn on or off any electrical switches or appliances, as a spark could ignite the gas. Wait outside until the fire department deems it safe to re-enter.

To prevent a fire in your home, make sure that all electrical wiring and appliances are up-to-date and in good condition. Avoid overloading electrical outlets, and never leave cooking appliances unattended. Additionally, make sure that you have working smoke detectors and fire extinguishers in your home.

IF YOU LIVE IN THE VILLAGE OF GRAFTON OR SAUKVILLE- Open burning and bonfires are prohibited within the Village limits. Portable fire pits and grills are allowed under certain conditions. To view the conditions, please follow these links: 

Village of Grafton Burning Ordinance

Village of Saukville (101-32) Burning Ordinance

I LIVE IN THE TOWN OF GRAFTON OR SAUKVILLE - Open burning and bonfires are allowed within the Towns of Grafton and Saukville. Responsible burning in compliance with Wisconsin statute is required. The "Can I Burn?" online tool from the WI DNR can assist you in determining whether your planned burn is allowed. The WI DNR tool can be found here.

Additional responsible burning info can be found here 

If you still have questions, please contact our department and we will be happy to assist.

To prevent emergency services from being dispatched to your legal, controlled burn in  either Township, please notify the Ozaukee Central Fire Department at (262) 375-5314. You should provide:

• The address of the burn
• The date & time(s) that you expect to burn
• The name of the responsible party
• Contact phone number of the responsible party

Ozaukee Dispatch Center should also be notified with the above information (262) 284-7172.

 If the extinguisher is a more modern-style (like you see in commercial buildings or still for sale in hardware stores) then they can be turned upside down in an outdoor space and discharged until there is no more pressure inside. There will still be powder inside, but as long as there is no pressure, they can be tossed in the normal garbage.

If the extinguishers are significantly older, then they may have some hazardous chemicals and need to be disposed of at a household hazardous waste disposal facility.

Possibly. In general, a fire extinguisher with a metal handle can be recharged by a qualified fire extinguisher technician. There are several companies throughout the area that can service a fire extinguisher. If it has a plastic handle, it cannot be recharged.

Ozaukee County Emergency Management, in conjunction with the Port Washington Yacht Club, offers an annual disposal event at the Port Washington Marina. You may reach out to EM for more info and/or arrange a drop-off time at the Justice Center. Contact EM at (262) 284-8397.

Ozaukee County has a household hazardous waster disposal program known as "Clean Sweep". For more information, visit the Clean Sweep Program page.

DO NOT BRING EXPLOSIVES TO A FIRE OR POLICE STATION. The item(s) should remain in place, evacuate the area and then call Ozaukee Dispatch Center via 9-1-1 or (262) 284-7172.

Yes. In Wisconsin, all one and two-family homes are required to have working smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. Additional information and placement instructions can be found in this link. *

*Please note that the information in the link above is the MINIMUM requirement for existing homes. The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) recommends having a smoke detector inside each sleeping room. New construction homes are required to have alarms inside each sleeping room, in addition to alarms outside of the sleeping area. 

WI Statute 321.09 related to smoke and CO detectors can be viewed here.

In Wisconsin, if you live in a multi-family dwelling (3-family or more), state law requires the landlord replace or repair defective alarms within five (5) days after you (the tenant) notify the landlord. 

If you are a tenant in a 3-family or more dwelling and you have a defective alarm, follow these steps:

• Notify your landlord.
• If no action is taken to correct the deficiency within five (5) days, contact the fire department.  
• The fire department will work with the landlord to remedy the problem.

The Ozaukee Central Fire Department does not recommend any specific brand of detector. We do however recommend that all detectors be listed by Underwriters Laboratory (UL).

Leave the home or business and call 9-1-1. Dispatchers are available 24/7 to answer your call. DO NOT call the fire station as we may not be available to answer the phone.

Carbon monoxide (CO) is an odorless, colorless gas that is imperceptible to humans. CO is a byproduct of incomplete combustion. Inside the home, common causes are natural gas/propane appliances such as water heaters, furnaces, stoves and clothes dryers. Other causes are fireplaces, generators and vehicle engines. 

CO is extremely dangerous to humans and animals. It can only be detected by special sensors and meters. If your CO detector activates, go outside and call 9-1-1 immediately.