Fire Safety

City Laws, Requirements, and Guidelines

Rockville Fire Code Fire Laws of the City of Rockville: Requirements for Apartment Buildings and Apartment-Style Residential Buildings Smoke Alarm Installation Requirements Guidelines for Use of Fire Pits, Fire Bowls, and Chimineas Apply for a Fire Protection Permit Schedule a Fire Inspection Request a Fire Lane

Maryland Smoke Alarm Law

The Maryland Smoke Alarm Law was passed during the 2013 Maryland General Assembly. It requires replacement of smoke alarms 10 years after the manufacturing date, which is printed on the back of the alarm. If no date is visible, assume the alarm is more than 10 years old and replace it.

The law aims to improve reliable smoke alarm coverage in older homes without requiring new wiring. It emphasizes the use of sealed, long-life battery alarms with silence/hush buttons in locations where battery-operated alarms currently exist or where no alarms are present. Replacing required wired alarms with battery-only alarms is not allowed.

Effective Jan. 1, 2018, homes built before Jan. 1, 1989 must have at least one approved, AC-powered smoke alarm on every level. However, sealed battery-operated alarms with long-life batteries and hush buttons may be used where wired alarms didn’t previously exist.

For new construction, interconnected AC-powered alarms with battery backup are required:

• In each bedroom.
• In the common area outside bedrooms.
• On every other level of the home, including basements.

Smoke Alarms and Fire Sprinklers

Having working smoke alarms and installing fire sprinklers are the best ways to protect your family in a fire. According to the National Fire Protection Association, from 2003 to 2006, nearly two-thirds of home fire deaths occurred in homes without working smoke alarms. In 40% of deaths, no alarms were present. In 23%, alarms were present but did not sound.

Place smoke alarms:

• Outside all sleeping areas.
• On each level of the home, including basements.
• Inside all sleeping areas (recommended for additional protection and required in new homes).

Install alarms according to manufacturer instructions and test them monthly. Replace batteries at least once a year.

Residential fire sprinklers further reduce risk. When both alarms and sprinklers are present, the risk of dying in a home fire is reduced by 82%, compared to homes with neither.