JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Local fire performances at Jacksonville restaurants have been temporarily suspended following a cease and desist order issued by Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department (JFRD).
Tokyo Moreno, owner of the Florida Fire and Flow Group, shared that she is working to address the situation and hopes to resume performances soon.
Moreno, a fire performer, and her team have showcased their unique skills at various local restaurants. However, she received a text from a restaurant manager informing her of the cease and desist order not long after she appeared on News4JAX back in May.
“A couple weeks later, I got a text message from one of the managers at the restaurants that I do the fire shows at, and he mentioned that they got a cease and desist,” Moreno said.
She said that cease and desist came from JFRD, and that the several more cease and desists were issued to the other restaurants where her business performs at. In an effort to understand the reasons behind the order, Moreno met with representatives from the fire department.
“I met with three people, and I thought it was going to be really scary because I’m just like a normal human that understands a little bit of fire science trying to tell them that they should have this type of permitting, and I think that they were really understanding,” she said.
Moreno explained that the restaurants were informed a fire department representative must be present during fire performances. She noted that fire safety regulations are guided by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) 160, which has been updated to include specific requirements for fire performances.
“The 2021 version has a deeper addendum or section that’s added to describe what a fire safety should do, what fire performers should do,” Moreno said. “This includes fire propolis and their fire safety plan, which is just how they plan on extinguishing fires.”
Moreno is hopeful about collaborating with the fire department to update the requirements and make the permitting process more transparent.
“I’m very glad to say that there were no accidents through the entire two and a half years, and it would be a blessing if we could move forward and get them back in the restaurants. But that’s not the overall goal. The goal is to ensure that Jacksonville is safe,” she said.
In response to the situation, Eric Prosswimmer, public information officer with JFRD, provided a statement emphasizing the department’s commitment to safety.
“The safety of Jacksonville’s residents and visitors is our top priority. We have a responsibility to ensure that venues hosting public events adhere to established safety standards. Our policies and procedures are in place to protect attendees at all times.
According to NFPA 1, Section 1.7.17.1, ‘The Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) shall have the authority to require a fire watch or standby personnel whenever a potentially hazardous condition exist due to the type of performance, display, or activity.’
It is important to note that these performances are occurring in assembly occupancies-spaces where the public is present-and that these locations were neither designed nor permitted for such activities. We will continue to take the necessary steps to enforce safety standards and mitigate any risk to the public.”
Eric Prosswimmer, Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department
While restaurant performances are currently on hold, Moreno’s business is pivoting to shows and private parties, which is where she initially started. She remains optimistic about working with JFRD to bring back restaurant performances.
“I would have to work with the restaurant and also the city to make sure that it actually meets up to the JFRD standards. So I think it’d be a little bit of a task, but I think that it’s possible to get back in there and make sure that our fire performers are taken care of,” Moreno said.
