Section 18.70.075. Authority of fire department officers; penalty.

   (a) A fire officer of a municipal fire department or a fire department registered with the state fire marshal, while providing fire protection or other emergency services, has the authority to
        (1) control and direct activities at the scene of a fire or emergency;
        (2) order a person to leave a building or place in the vicinity of a fire or emergency, for the purpose of protecting the person from injury;
        (3) blockade a public highway, street, or private right-of-way temporarily while at the scene of a fire or emergency;
        (4) trespass upon property at or near the scene of a fire or emergency at any time of the day or night;
        (5) enter a building, including a private dwelling, or premises where a fire is in progress, or where there is reasonable cause to believe a fire is in progress, to extinguish the fire;
        (6) enter a building, including a private dwelling, or premises near the scene of a fire for the purpose of protecting the building or premises or for the purpose of extinguishing the fire that is in progress in another building or premises;
        (7) upon 24-hour notice to the owner or occupant, conduct a prefire planning survey in all buildings, structures, or other places within the municipality or the registered fire department's district, except the interior of a private dwelling, where combustible material is or may become dangerous as a fire menace to the building;
        (8) direct the removal or destruction of a fence, house, motor vehicle, or other thing judged necessary to prevent the further spread of a fire.
   (b) An owner or occupant of a building or place specified in this section or any other person on the site of a fire or other fire department emergency who refuses to obey the order of a fire officer of a municipal or registered fire department in the exercise of official duties is guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction, is punishable by imprisonment for one year, or by a fine of not more than $1,000, or by both.
   (c) In this section,
        (1) "emergency" means a situation in which the services of fire department personnel are necessary or appropriate to protect life, property, or public health;
        (2) "prefire planning survey" means a limited inspection for the purpose of preparing a fire attack plan in the event of a future emergency.

Notes

History

(Sec. 2 ch 215 SLA 1975; am Sec. 1 ch 4 SLA 1987; am Sec. 1 ch 12 SLA 2008)