How to Fill Out DA Form 5381: Fire Risk Management Survey

DA Form 5381, the Building Fire Risk Management Survey, is the Army’s standard checklist for documenting fire hazards during a facility walkthrough. To fill it out, enter the four identifying items at the top of the form, work through the fifteen lettered hazard sections and mark deficiencies as you find them, apply the Army’s risk matrix to each finding, obtain the inspector and organization fire marshal signatures, and route the completed form to the installation’s fire prevention office. The form is governed by AR 420-1, which authorizes automated or electronic equivalents in place of the paper version.1Department of the Army. Army Regulation 420-1 Facilities Engineering Army Facilities Management

Get the Current Form

Download the blank form from the Army Publishing Directorate at armypubs.army.mil. The official title is “Building – Fire Risk Management Survey.” Older copies you may still see in files carry the designation DA Form 5381-R. Check with your fire prevention office before printing anything: AR 420-1 permits installations to substitute automated or electronic versions, and many have.1Department of the Army. Army Regulation 420-1 Facilities Engineering Army Facilities Management

Fill In the Header

The top of the form captures four pieces of identifying information: the building number or area, the occupancy type, the organization that uses the space, and the date of the survey.2Army Real Property. Fire Risk Management Survey DA Form 5381-R

  • Building number or area: the Real Property number assigned to the facility, found in the installation’s real property inventory and posted on building signage.
  • Occupancy: how the space is actually used — office, warehouse, barracks, dining facility, motor pool, and so on. Military facilities follow both International Building Code and NFPA 101 occupancy classifications.
  • Organization: the unit or activity that occupies the space.
  • Date: the date the walkthrough was performed.

Before starting the walkthrough, pull the building’s file folder. AR 420-1 requires each building to have one containing past survey records, hazard and deficiency records, the fire extinguisher inventory and maintenance data, and a copy of the pre-fire plan. Reviewing the prior survey lets you verify whether earlier deficiencies were actually corrected rather than simply carried forward.1Department of the Army. Army Regulation 420-1 Facilities Engineering Army Facilities Management Note what fire detection and suppression equipment is installed and the date of each system’s last inspection; you will need those dates when you reach sections G and H.

Work Through the Fifteen Inspection Sections

The body of the form is a checklist divided into fifteen lettered sections (A through O), each covering a category of fire hazard. Walk the entire facility and mark deficiencies within each section as you go.2Army Real Property. Fire Risk Management Survey DA Form 5381-R

A. Housekeeping

Rubbish accumulation, general cleanliness, vegetation growth against the structure, and outdoor housekeeping. Trash piles and overgrown brush against exterior walls are easy to overlook during routine operations.

B. Smoking

Smoking in unauthorized areas, proper permits where applicable, disposal of smoking materials, receptacle condition and placement, no-smoking signage, and compliance with the installation’s general order on tobacco use.

C. Electrical

Multiple-outlet adapters (“octopus plugs”), misuse of extension cords, frayed or damaged wiring, improper wiring in hazardous locations, fuses and panel boxes, conduit and raceways, conductors, outlet boxes, and switches and fixtures. Extension cord problems alone drive a large share of write-ups.

D. Petroleum, Oil, and Lubricants

Pipe leaks, refueling and defueling procedures, grounding and bonding, electrical compatibility near fuel, manhole covers, distance of fuel storage from buildings, drainage, and nozzle condition.

E. Heating

Fuel pipes and lines, filters, deep-fat fryers, ovens, chimney condition, thermostats, exhaust hoods, burners, and cooking equipment. Grease buildup in kitchen exhaust hoods tends to outrun cleaning schedules.

F. Fire Doors

Fusible links, door guides, operability, correct fire rating, physical damage, hardware, and fire dampers. A fire door propped open with a doorstop is a common and consequential finding.

G. Fire Detection

Detector condition and placement, battery status, wiring, control box, and fuses.

H. Fire Suppression Systems

Sprinkler riser, air compressor (for dry systems), sprinkler heads, inspector’s test valve, branch lines, post indicator valve, two-inch drain, fusible links, suppression agent, nozzles, and fire hydrants. Verify current inspection dates against the applicable NFPA testing intervals.

I. Life Safety Code

Occupant load, means of egress, exit requirements, obstructions, exit lights, emergency lighting, exit signs, interior finish materials, smoke barriers, and ramps. Calculate occupant load from the square footage and the load factor in NFPA 101 for that use; if the actual number of people regularly using the space exceeds the calculated figure, record the higher number.

J. Fire Extinguishers

Service date, location and mounting, hydrostatic test date, pressure gauge reading, horn and nozzle condition, control valve, and safety pin.

K. Flammable Storage

Storage of flammable liquids, appropriate electrical fixtures in storage areas, diking, barrier protection, venting, labeling, container condition, flammable gas storage, cabinet condition, leakage, and overstock.

L. Building Construction

Doors, hardware, fire walls, windows, door frames, floors, bearing walls, roofs, columns, beams, fire escapes, girders, trusses, and stairs. Document exact locations of structural damage that could affect fire-resistance ratings.

M. Storage

Storage height, procedures, fire lanes between stacked materials, and wall-to-storage spacing. Blocking sprinkler clearance and fire lanes is a recurring warehouse issue.

N. Hazardous Materials

Container condition, whether the facility is appropriate for the materials stored, storage methods, chemical compatibility, ventilation, warning signs, and labeling.

O. Special Hazards

Spontaneous heating risks, welding and cutting operations, finishing processes, interior finishes, and use of hot-work permits. AR 420-1 requires DA Form 5383 (Hot-Work Permit) for welding, cutting, or similar work performed outside permanent shops, so check that permits are on file for any hot work you observe.1Department of the Army. Army Regulation 420-1 Facilities Engineering Army Facilities Management

Assign a Risk Level to Each Finding

Every hazard you mark should be evaluated with the Army’s standard risk matrix from ATP 5-19. The matrix pairs probability against severity.

Probability has five levels, from Frequent (known to occur continuously or inevitably) down to Unlikely (possible but improbable). Severity has four tiers: Catastrophic (death, total mission failure, or unacceptable loss), Critical (severe injury or significantly degraded mission capability), Moderate (minor injury or degraded capability), and Negligible (minimal impact).3Department of the Army. ATP 5-19 Risk Management

Crossing probability against severity produces four overall risk levels:

  • Extremely High: expected loss of ability to accomplish the mission. Catastrophic hazards that are frequent or likely.
  • High: significant degradation of mission capability. Critical hazards that are frequent, or catastrophic hazards that are occasional or seldom.
  • Medium: degraded mission capability. Moderate-probability hazards with moderate severity, or catastrophic hazards that are unlikely.
  • Low: minimal impact. Negligible hazards at any probability, or moderate hazards with low probability.

Applying the matrix consistently across all fifteen sections gives the installation a standardized way to prioritize funding and corrective action.3Department of the Army. ATP 5-19 Risk Management

Signatures

The bottom of the form has two signature blocks. Block 6 is for the inspector who performed the walkthrough: print or type the name and sign. Block 7 is for the organization fire marshal, who also prints or types the name and signs.2Army Real Property. Fire Risk Management Survey DA Form 5381-R

The inspector must be qualified fire prevention personnel. Under DoD Manual 6055.06, a Fire Inspector position requires Fire Inspector II certification, Public Fire and Life Safety Educator certification, and HazMat Awareness certification, with credentials accepted from IFSAC-accredited or Pro Board-accredited entities. Licensed professional fire protection engineers from accredited universities are granted equivalency for several certification levels.4Department of Defense. DoD Manual 6055.06 DoD Fire and Emergency Services Certification Program

The building manager or evacuation coordinator is not a signatory but plays a supporting role, providing access to locked rooms, mechanical spaces, and restricted areas so the inspector can examine the entire facility. AR 420-1 requires this individual to be trained by the Fire and Emergency Services fire prevention division and to provide written reports to the fire chief on self-inspections, evacuation plans, and fire safety briefings.1Department of the Army. Army Regulation 420-1 Facilities Engineering Army Facilities Management

Submit the Form and Document Deficiencies Separately

Once both signatures are on the form, route it to the installation’s Fire and Emergency Services fire prevention office. Many installations accept digital submissions through internal reporting systems, and AR 420-1 directs fire departments to establish an automated record-keeping system to monitor the building survey program, so electronic submission is becoming standard.1Department of the Army. Army Regulation 420-1 Facilities Engineering Army Facilities Management

Any hazards or deficiencies identified on the 5381 should also be recorded on DA Form 5382 (Hazard/Deficiency Inspection Record), which is the mechanism for notifying the building manager of what needs correction. Write descriptions specific enough that someone who wasn’t at the inspection can locate the problem: “blocked fire exit in Building 4127, east wing stairwell B, second floor” rather than “exit blocked.” The building manager then initiates corrective action and tracks it to resolution.

File the completed 5381 in the building’s folder alongside past surveys, hazard records, extinguisher data, and the pre-fire plan. Retention follows the Records Retention Schedule–Army (RRS-A), accessible through the Army Records Information Management System.1Department of the Army. Army Regulation 420-1 Facilities Engineering Army Facilities Management Comparing surveys year over year is how the installation confirms that prior deficiencies were actually fixed and how repeated high-risk findings support funding requests for structural upgrades.

Frequency and Exempt Facilities

AR 420-1 does not set a single interval for these surveys. The installation fire chief determines how often each facility is inspected, based on the risk associated with its use, occupancy, and mission criticality. A high-hazard ammunition storage facility is surveyed far more often than a low-risk administrative building.5U.S. Army. Army Regulation 420-1 Army Facilities Management

Family housing and individual rooms in Unaccompanied Personnel Housing are generally exempt from mandatory inspections, though common areas in UPH buildings still require surveys.1Department of the Army. Army Regulation 420-1 Facilities Engineering Army Facilities Management If you are unsure whether a specific facility falls inside the survey program, confirm with the installation fire chief before scheduling the walkthrough.