Specific powers — Acquisition or lease of property or equipment — Contracts — Association of districts — Group life insurance — Building inspections — Fire investigations.

RCW 52.12.031

in effect

Any fire protection district organized under this title may: (1) Lease, acquire, own, maintain, operate, and provide fire and emergency medical apparatus and all other necessary or proper facilities, machinery, and equipment for the prevention and suppression of fires, the providing of emergency medical services and the protection of life and property; (2) Enter into an interlocal agreement with any local jurisdiction to maintain and repair any vehicle or equipment owned and used exclusively by such county, city, town, school district, or other political subdivision of the state of Washington. As used in this subsection, "local jurisdiction" means any county, city, town, school district, or other political subdivision of the state of Washington; (3) Lease, acquire, own, maintain, and operate real property, improvements, and fixtures for housing, repairing, and maintaining the apparatus, facilities, machinery, and equipment described in subsection (1) of this section; (4) Contract with any governmental entity under chapter 39.34 RCW or private person or entity to consolidate, provide, or cooperate for fire prevention protection, fire suppression, investigation, and emergency medical purposes. In so contracting, the district or governmental entity is deemed for all purposes to be acting within its governmental capacity. This contracting authority includes the furnishing of fire prevention, fire suppression, investigation, emergency medical services, facilities, and equipment to or by the district, governmental entity, or private person or entity; (5) Encourage uniformity and coordination of fire protection district operations. The fire commissioners of fire protection districts may form an association to secure information of value in suppressing and preventing fires and other district purposes, to hold and attend meetings, and to promote more economical and efficient operation of the associated fire protection districts. The commissioners of fire protection districts in the association shall adopt articles of association or articles of incorporation for a nonprofit corporation, select a chair, secretary, and other officers as they may determine, and may employ and discharge agents and employees as the officers deem convenient to carry out the purposes of the association. The expenses of the association may be paid from funds paid into the association by fire protection districts: PROVIDED, That the aggregate contributions made to the association by a district in a calendar year shall not exceed two and one-half cents per thousand dollars of assessed valuation; (6) Enter into contracts to provide group life insurance for the benefit of the personnel of the fire districts; (7) Perform building and property inspections that the district deems necessary to provide fire prevention services and pre-fire planning within the district and any area that the district serves by contract in accordance with RCW 19.27.110 : PROVIDED, That codes used by the district for building and property inspections shall be limited to the applicable codes adopted by the state, county, city, or town that has jurisdiction over the area in which the property is located. A copy of inspection reports prepared by the district shall be furnished by the district to the appropriate state, county, city, or town that has jurisdiction over the area in which the property is located: PROVIDED, That nothing in this subsection shall be construed to grant code enforcement authority to a district. This subsection shall not be construed as imposing liability on any governmental jurisdiction; (8) Determine the origin and cause of fires occurring within the district and any area the district serves by contract. In exercising the authority conferred by this subsection, the fire protection district and its authorized representatives shall comply with the provisions of RCW 43.44.050 ; (9) Perform acts consistent with this title and not otherwise prohibited by law. Any fire protection district organized under this title may: (1) Lease, acquire, own, maintain, operate, and provide fire and emergency medical apparatus and all other necessary or proper facilities, machinery, and equipment for the prevention and suppression of fires, the providing of emergency medical services and the protection of life and property; (2) Enter into an interlocal agreement with any local jurisdiction to maintain and repair any vehicle or equipment owned and used exclusively by such county, city, town, school district, or other political subdivision of the state of Washington. As used in this subsection, "local jurisdiction" means any county, city, town, school district, or other political subdivision of the state of Washington; (3) Lease, acquire, own, maintain, and operate real property, improvements, and fixtures for housing, repairing, and maintaining the apparatus, facilities, machinery, and equipment described in subsection (1) of this section; (4) Contract with any governmental entity under chapter 39.34 RCW or private person or entity to consolidate, provide, or cooperate for fire prevention protection, fire suppression, investigation, and emergency medical purposes. In so contracting, the district or governmental entity is deemed for all purposes to be acting within its governmental capacity. This contracting authority includes the furnishing of fire prevention, fire suppression, investigation, emergency medical services, facilities, and equipment to or by the district, governmental entity, or private person or entity; (5) Encourage uniformity and coordination of fire protection district operations. The fire commissioners of fire protection districts may form an association to secure information of value in suppressing and preventing fires and other district purposes, to hold and attend meetings, and to promote more economical and efficient operation of the associated fire protection districts. The commissioners of fire protection districts in the association shall adopt articles of association or articles of incorporation for a nonprofit corporation, select a chair, secretary, and other officers as they may determine, and may employ and discharge agents and employees as the officers deem convenient to carry out the purposes of the association. The expenses of the association may be paid from funds paid into the association by fire protection districts: PROVIDED, That the aggregate contributions made to the association by a district in a calendar year shall not exceed two and one-half cents per thousand dollars of assessed valuation; (6) Enter into contracts to provide group life insurance for the benefit of the personnel of the fire districts; (7) Perform building and property inspections that the district deems necessary to provide fire prevention services and pre-fire planning within the district and any area that the district serves by contract in accordance with RCW 19.27.110 : PROVIDED, That codes used by the district for building and property inspections shall be limited to the applicable codes adopted by the state, county, city, or town that has jurisdiction over the area in which the property is located. A copy of inspection reports prepared by the district shall be furnished by the district to the appropriate state, county, city, or town that has jurisdiction over the area in which the property is located: PROVIDED, That nothing in this subsection shall be construed to grant code enforcement authority to a district. This subsection shall not be construed as imposing liability on any governmental jurisdiction; (8) Determine the origin and cause of fires occurring within the district and any area the district serves by contract. In exercising the authority conferred by this subsection, the fire protection district and its authorized representatives shall comply with the provisions of RCW 43.44.050 ; (9) Perform acts consistent with this title and not otherwise prohibited by law.

Source: WA Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=52.12&full=trueFetched: 6/29/2026