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Current through October 23, 2012
(a) Except as provided in subsections (b) and (c) of this section, the owner of each dwelling unit, hotel, motel, hospital, nursing home, jail, prison, and residential-custodial care facility shall directly wire the smoke detector to the power supply of the building.
(b) In each dwelling unit, hotel, motel, hospital, nursing home, jail, prison, and residential-custodial care facility which is in existence on September 30, 1978, or which is constructed under a building permit issued before October 1, 1978, or which is substantially rehabilitated, the owner may install a smoke detector which operates from a plug-in outlet fitted with a plug restrainer device if the outlet is not controlled by an on-off switch and if the cord connecting the smoke detector with the outlet is not controlled by an on-off switch.
(c) In each dwelling unit in a structure with only 1 dwelling unit which is in existence on September 30, 1978, or which is constructed under a building permit issued before October 1, 1978, or which is substantially rehabilitated, the owner may install a monitored battery-powered smoke detector.
(June 20, 1978, D.C. Law 2-81, § 6, 24 DCR 9050.)
HISTORICAL AND STATUTORY NOTES
Prior Codifications
1981 Ed., § 5-533.
1973 Ed., § 5-332.
Temporary Amendments of Section
Section 2 of D.C. Law 18-22 added subsec. (d) to read as follows:
"(d)(1) Within 30 days of the effective date of the Fire Alarm Notice and Tenant Fire Safety Emergency Amendment Act of 2009, passed on emergency basis on March 3, 2009 (Enrolled version of Bill 18-168), and in addition to any existing requirements in law or regulation, an owner of a building containing 2 or more dwelling or rooming units shall provide written notice, in a language delineated by the Language Access Act of 2004, effective June 19, 2004 (D.C. Law 15-167; D.C. Official Code § 2-1931 et seq.), as necessary, to each tenant by first class mail, and post notice in conspicuous places in common areas of the building, as required in this subsection. Written notice shall also be provided to each new tenant, as required in this subsection. The Mayor shall provide a sample form of the notice required by this subsection.
"(2) The written notice shall include, at a minimum, instructions on the operation of a building fire alarm, whether this alarm is separate from the smoke alarms in individual apartments, and a statement that the building alarm is not necessarily connected to the fire department or emergency rescue, and that, in the event of a fire, they must be contacted immediately by calling 911.
"(3) Failure to post notice as required by this subsection shall be a violation of this act, and subject to penalties as provided in this act.
"(4) In addition to the notice required by this subsection, the owner, or the owner's agent, shall maintain a fire safety plan and conduct fire drills in each building that is subject to the provisions of this subsection, and contains 5 or more units, at least once every 12 months."
Section 4(b) of D.C. Law 18-22 provides that the act shall expire after 225 days of its having taken effect.
Emergency Act Amendments
For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see § 2 of Fire Alarm Notice and Tenant Fire Safety Emergency Amendment Act of 2009 (D.C. Act 18-33, March 16, 2009, 56 DCR 2340).
For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see § 2 of Fire Alarm Notice and Tenant Fire Safety Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2009 (D.C. Act 18-110, June 18, 2009, 56 DCR 4936).
Legislative History of Laws
For legislative history of D.C. Law 2-81, see Historical and Statutory Notes following § 6-751.01.
