Latest News
- Installation forms for new Range Hood Suppression Systems are mandatory as of Sept.1, 2024, prior to Shoreline Fire Final.
- Modification to Seattle Fire’s E-Series Certifications in fall 2024. To align certifications with the state’s approach to kitchen hood suppression qualifications, Seattle will be modifying their E-4 certification scope to kitchen hood suppression only. Spray booths will be moved to E-3. Technicians will have their prior scope grandfathered in until they next renew their certification. The Shoreline Fire Department refers to the information from the Seattle Fire Department regarding certification testing and a list of certified contractors.
- Alternative Extinguishing Systems Certification. Beginning Jan. 1, 2025, the Washington State Fire Code requires technicians working on automatic fire-extinguishing systems, other than automatic sprinkler systems, to possess a NICET Level II or higher in “special hazards suppression systems” (2021 Fire Code section 904). There is an exception for pre-engineered kitchen hood systems, which allows a current ICC/NAFED certification in lieu of the NICET Level II or higher.
Inspections, Testing, Maintenance and Reporting
Building owners are required to have the systems inspected, tested and maintained in good working condition. Generally, systems require an annual test that must be reported to the fire department using our third-party vendor www.thecomplianceengine.com.
There are also secondary tests and certain maintenance processes that must be performed periodically even though you do not need to submit reports. The testing company you hire should be able to provide more information about the test and maintenance requirements.
Work must be performed by someone who is certified. The Shoreline Fire Department refers to the information from the Seattle Fire Department who provides a list of certified contractors, click here to view it. Note two exceptions to the certification requirement: Seattle Fire does not provide certification to fire escape contractors or DAS/BDA installers. They do have an unvetted list of companies that have submitted fire escape test reports or have indicated to the Seattle Fire Department that they have at least one employee that meets the code criteria to design, install and maintain BDA/DAS systems.
System test reports for many systems are mandatory and must be submitted electronically to the Shoreline Fire Department via The Compliance Engine (TCE).
There is a $25 filing fee for submitting a report. One fee is charged per system type, per year, except for hood systems which are per every six-month service. Repair reports must also be submitted to document completion of any required work. Your contractor (the company you hire to do the testing and maintenance on your building’s fire protection systems) is responsible for collecting these fees from their clients and submitting payments along with test reports.
Reports must be submitted within seven calendar days of the inspection or repair completion. Systems with impairments or red-tagged systems must also be reported immediately using the current mandatory impaired systems reporting process, please see the impaired systems section on this page for more information.
If you need a contractor/service provider we refer to the list Seattle Fire Department has created, click here to view.
Required Systems Test Reports and Submittal Frequency
Fire Protection System Type |
Frequency |
|
|---|---|---|
| Extinguishing Systems other than sprinkler systems
Gaseous (Aerosol, Carbon dioxide and clean agent) Dry Chemical Systems |
Annual
Annual Every six months |
|
| Automatic Sprinkler Systems – Dry or Wet
Automatic water mist systems |
Annual
Annual |
|
| Emergency Alarm Systems (Haz Mat) | Annual | |
| Emergency Generators | Annual | |
| Emergency Responder Communication Enhancement Systems (BDA/DAS) | Acceptance, Re-acceptance and Annual | |
| Fire Alarm Systems | Acceptance, Re-acceptance and Annual | |
| Fire Dampers, Smoke Dampers and Combination Fire/Smoke Dampers not included in an engineered Smoke Control System
With approval from the Fire Marshal, dampers may have a quarter of the total tested annually, so that all dampers are tested once every 4 years. |
Acceptance, Re-acceptance and Annual
* Hospitals every six years |
|
| Fire Escapes | Every five years | |
| Fire Pumps | Annual | |
| Range Hood | Acceptance, Re-acceptance and every six months | |
| Smoke Control Systems | Acceptance, Re-acceptance and Annual | |
| Standpipe Systems | Every five years | |
| Standpipe Systems – Marinas | Every five years |
You must notify the Shoreline Fire Department of planned or emergency impairments that are anticipated to take a fire safety system out of service for more than eight hours. This notification of impairments lasting more than eight hours allows us to assess the risks and make any operational decisions necessary to ensure the safety of building occupants and firefighters.
Notification and Mitigation
When to provide notification:
- Emergency impairments: Immediately
- Planned impairments: Minimum of five (5) business days in advance. We recommend you notify us immediately upon beginning to plan for the impairment.
Notification Process:
You are required to follow the two-step mandatory notification process:
- Provide notification by email on the using our Notice of Impairment Form to impairments@shorelinefire.com. You must use our reporting form, no other form will be accepted.
- Submit the system test report and mark it with red tag status to the Shoreline Fire Department’s compliance tracking system – www.thecomplianceengine.com before the end of the day on the day of the testing. Specifically, use the D-template for a “service call” – there is no charge to submit D-template reports or D-template repair reports.
- Note: You should notify your insurance carrier, alarm company, building owner/manager and any supervisors or tenants in the affected areas. Tell them what the impairment is and provide an estimate of how long the system(s) might be out of service.
Mitigating Measures
When a fire protection system is out of order, it may be necessary for you to take mitigation measures. An approved fire-watch or other approved mitigation is required for impairments lasting more than eight hours. For additional information please see our Fire Watch Form.
System Restoration
When an impaired system is restored to normal working order you need to notify:
- Shoreline Fire Department at impairments@shorelinefire.com
- The Compliance Engine (by filing a repair report)
- Alarm company
- Building owner or manager
- Insurance carrier
The certified technician who restored the system to service should remove all red tags that were placed on the system while it was impaired, leaving it tagged with the most recent white (or yellow) tag. The certified technician must email a copy of the repair report to close out the red-tagged system test result to us at impairments@shorelinefire.com. In addition, a report of the repair should be provided by the certified technician performing the maintenance and filed using www.thecomplianceengine.com.
Monitoring Services
What to do when monitoring services are interrupted
You do not need to report an impairment. Interruption of monitoring should not prevent a fire protection system from functioning.
- The alarm monitoring company must notify you of service interruptions.
- You must correct any system deficiency in a reasonable time.
What to do when monitoring services are terminated
You do not need to report an impairment. Termination of monitoring should not prevent a fire protection system from functioning. Termination of monitoring service occurs when monitoring contracts expire or are cancelled.
The monitoring service provider must notify us whenever alarm monitoring services are terminated for fire alarm systems required to be monitored by the Fire Code. To notify us send an email to impairments@shorelinefire.com – do not submit a Report of Impaired System.