_______________________________________________
HOUSE
BILL 1556
_______________________________________________
AS
AMENDED BY THE SENATE
Passed
Legislature - 1999 Regular Session
State of Washington 56th
Legislature 1999 Regular Session
By
Read first time 01/28/1999.
Referred to Committee on Local Government.
Increasing
timeliness of fire death reports.
AN
ACT Relating to reporting of deaths or injuries from fire; and amending RCW
48.48.065.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE
LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:
Sec.
1. RCW
48.48.065 and 1995 c 369 s 29 are each amended to read as follows:
(1)
The chief of each organized fire department, or the sheriff or other designated
county official having jurisdiction over areas not within the jurisdiction of
any fire department, shall report statistical information and data to the chief
of the Washington state patrol, through the director of fire protection, on
each fire occurring within the official's jurisdiction and, within two
business days, report any death resulting from fire. Reports shall be
consistent with the national fire incident reporting system developed by the
United States fire administration and rules established by the chief of the
Washington state patrol, through the director of fire protection. The chief of
the Washington state patrol, through the director of fire protection, and the
department of natural resources shall jointly determine the statistical
information to be reported on fires on land under the jurisdiction of the department
of natural resources.
(2)
The chief of the Washington state patrol, through the director of fire
protection, shall analyze the information and data reported, compile a report,
and distribute a copy annually by ((May)) July 1st to each chief
fire official in the state. Upon request, the chief of the Washington state
patrol, through the director of fire protection, shall also furnish a copy of
the report to any other interested person at cost.
(3) In carrying out the duties relating to collecting, analyzing,
and reporting statistical fire data, the fire protection policy board may
purchase statistical fire data from a qualified individual or organization.
The information shall meet the diverse needs of state and local fire reporting
agencies and shall be (a) defined in understandable terms of common usage in
the fire community; (b) adaptable to the varying levels of resources available;
(c) maintained in a manner that will foster both technical support and resource
sharing; and (d) designed to meet both short and long-term needs.
