Rainier Fire installs, inspects, services and monitors commercial fire alarm systems in Vancouver and across Clark County, as part of serving all of Washington. Vancouver has its own rules for who may work on fire alarms, and the county has a different reporting system. Here’s how it works, and what we take care of for you.
Vancouver requires an endorsed contractor
The City of Vancouver only lets endorsed companies install, inspect, maintain or test fire protection equipment in the city, and the Fire Marshal’s Office issues fire alarm permits only to a contractor with a Fire Alarm System Contractor endorsement. Inspection reports from contractors without one are rejected.
The program has two levels: the company needs an endorsement, and the work has to be done or supervised by people holding individual endorsements for each type of fire alarm work. Rainier Fire holds every fire alarm endorsement Vancouver issues:
- Designer of Record, for fire alarm design.
- Install & Repair, for installing and repairing systems.
- Inspect & Test, for yearly inspections and testing.
Who issues the permits
A fire alarm project usually needs two permits: a fire alarm permit from the fire authority, which reviews the design, and an electrical permit for the wiring. In Clark County, who issues them depends on where the building is:
- City of Vancouver: the fire alarm permit, plan review and inspections come from the Vancouver Fire Marshal’s Office. Replacing a fire alarm panel needs a permit there too. The electrical permit comes from the city itself: Vancouver is one of about two dozen Washington cities that issue their own electrical permits and inspections instead of the state Department of Labor & Industries (L&I).
- Unincorporated Clark County: the Clark County Fire Marshal’s Office issues the fire alarm permit and handles review and inspection. The electrical permit comes from L&I.
- Camas and Washougal: the Camas-Washougal Fire Department’s Fire Marshal’s Office issues fire permits for both cities. The electrical permit comes from L&I.
- Battle Ground: the city’s Fire Marshal’s Office reviews fire system plans. The electrical permit comes from L&I.
For other towns in the county, we confirm the right agency for your address before work starts. On jobs where your electrician pulls the electrical permit, such as our Parts & Smarts program for electrical contractors, we handle the fire alarm permit and design.
Design review by a NICET III
Washington requires fire alarm construction documents to be reviewed by a NICET Level III in Fire Alarm Systems, a Level III certified fire alarm designer or a licensed professional engineer before they’re submitted for a permit (WAC 51-54A-0907). Rainier Fire’s designs are stamped by a NICET III, so that review is built in, not an extra step. More on how we design and install systems.
Where the inspection report goes
- City of Vancouver: the contractor who did the inspection or repair must submit the report to the Fire Marshal’s Office within 30 days, through the city’s own contractor portal.
- Unincorporated Clark County: inspection, testing and maintenance reports go to the county through The Compliance Engine, an online system fire departments use to collect inspection reports.
Elsewhere in the county, we file the report the way that fire marshal requires. Either way, you don’t have to send it yourself. See how our inspection and testing works.
What we do in Clark County
- Installation & design for new construction and tenant improvements, from plans to fire department acceptance.
- Inspection & testing, with the report filed for you.
- Panel replacement & upgrades when a panel reaches end of life.
- Monitoring & cellular communicators, so your alarm keeps reporting as copper phone lines are retired.
- Parts & Smarts for electrical contractors who want to keep the fire alarm scope.
Have a building in Vancouver or Clark County?
Tell us the address and what you need. We’ll confirm who issues the permits there and take it from there.
Get a QuoteSources
- City of Vancouver Fire Marshal’s Office, Fire Protection (contractor endorsement, permits and report submittal) and Fire Marshal’s Office.
- Washington State Department of Labor & Industries, City electrical permits and inspections.
- Clark County Community Development, Fire Permit Inspections and Fire and Life Safety Inspections.
- City of Camas, Fire Marshal’s Office; City of Battle Ground, Fire Marshal.
- Washington Administrative Code, WAC 51-54A-0907, fire alarm design review.