New Fire Alarm Notice and Tenant Fire Safety Amendment Requirements for District of Columbia
(Washington, DC) - Below is the sample notice required by Section 2 of the Fire Alarm Notice and Tenant Fire Safety Amendment Emergency/Temporary Act (as a convenience, we’ve also included a version in Spanish).
Pursuant to the Act, owners of buildings with two or more dwelling or rooming units shall:
1. Provide written notice, in a language delineated by the Language Access Act of 2004, to each tenant by first-class mail;
2. Post the same notice in conspicuous places in common areas of the building; and
3. Maintain a fire safety plan.
The notice below is the default notice that would comply with the requirements in Section 2. Owners can modify the default notice to reflect whether the fire alarm systems in their individual buildings are connected to the Fire Department. However, the notice would have to include, at a minimum:
instructions on the operation of the building fire alarm;
whether the alarm is separate from smoke alarms in individual units;
a statement that the building alarm is not necessarily connected to DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services;
that in the event of a fire, residents must call 911 to summon the DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services; and
Additionally, owners of buildings with 5 or more dwelling units shall also:
o Maintain a fire safety plan; and
o Conduct fire drill at least once a year.
Suggested language:
WHAT TO DO IN CASE OF A FIRE EMERGENCY
Smoke detectors in individual units are NOT connected to this building’s fire alarm system.
The interior fire alarm system in this building is NOT connected to DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services. It is for evacuation purposes only.
In case of a fire emergency, activate the interior alarm station, following the instructions on the face of the alarm box, evacuate the building, and call 911. Do NOT use elevators during a fire emergency.
Remember that the smoke detector in your unit or the fire alarm system in this building DOES NOT call DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services.
IN ANY FIRE EMERGENCY, EVACUATE THE BUILDING AND CALL 911!
In Spanish:
QUE HACER EN CASO DE UNA EMERGENCIA DE INCENDIO
Los detectores de humo de unidades individuales NO están conectados al sistema de alarma del edificio.
El sistema de alarma interna del edificio NO esta conectada con el Departamento de bomberos. Es un recurso para uso en caso de una evacuación solamente.
En caso de un incendio, active la alarma del edificio siguiendo las instrucciones en la parte de enfrente de la caja de emergencia, salir del edificio, y llamar al 911. NO USE los elevadores durante una emergencia de incendio.
Recuerde que los detectores de humo en su unidad o el sistema de alarma del edificio NO LLAMAN al Departamento de bomberos.
¡EN CASO DE UN INCENDIO DESALOJE EL EDIFICIO Y LLAME AL 911! This information is provided by the Consumer & Regulatory Affairs of Washington D.C..
To visit their web-site: http://Newsroom.dc.gov