
The State Fire Marshal’s Office urges all Washington State residents to verify that their homes are equipped with working smoke alarms to protect lives and property
Working smoke alarms dramatically increase the likelihood of surviving a home fire, as every second counts during an emergency. In 2024, Washington State fire agencies reported that 60% of residential fire fatalities occurred in dwellings without functioning smoke alarms. According to the National Fire Protection Association, the chances of surviving a home fire double when working smoke alarms are present.
In addition to the building and fire codes adopted by Washington State, RCW 43.44.110 regulates smoke detection devices in dwelling units that are:
- Occupied by individuals other than the owner on or after December 31, 1981,
- Built or manufactured in Washington after December 31, 1980, or
- Sold on or after July 1, 2019.
Key provisions of RCW 43.44.110 include:
- Smoke detectors must meet national standards for design, manufacture, and installation.
- Property owners are responsible for installing at least one operational smoke alarm.
- Tenants must maintain and replace batteries in smoke alarms as needed.
The State Fire Marshal’s Office urges all Washington state residents to verify that their homes are equipped with working smoke alarms to protect lives and property.
For more information, contact the State Fire Marshal’s Office at (360) 596-3904.
Information provided by the Washington State Fire Marshal’s Office.
Also read:
- Opinion: Were Republican voters just sleeping during the August primary election?CCRP Chairman Matt Bumala says 60% of primary no-shows in the 17th and 18th districts were Republicans.
- High school football: New coach prepares for long-term success at Prairie High SchoolJames Young-Lewis, a Clark County native who graduated from Evergreen in 2009, became Prairie’s head coach in May after working as an assistant coach across various programs since 2015, joining Prairie’s staff in 2024.
- Cost to battle 20 wildfires in WA has topped $200MTwenty wildfires have cost Washington $207M in one month, more than two-thirds of what DNR spent all last fiscal year.
- Opinion: WA Cares’ launch showcased care WA Cares did not provideGov. Ferguson showcased a caregiving arrangement at the WA Cares launch that the program had not paid for a single day of.
- Former State Rep. Liz Pike provides update on husband Neil CahoonNeil Cahoon, a Camas resident, has undergone multiple surgeries including five on Aug. 15 after the Aug. 10 crash near La Center’s Daybreak Airport.
- Opinion: Portland’s War on Cars Part 4 – A smarter automobile strategy to end gridlockO’Toole argues fuel wasted in Portland-area congestion has sextupled since 1982, generating 250,000 tons of extra greenhouse gases annually.
- $1,000 first prize for Camas Plein Air Art Event honoring Marquita Call on Sept. 26Plein air artists compete Sept. 26 in Camas for $1,000 first prize honoring gallery founder Marquita Call.








