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Frostburg adopts new rental-housing fire-safety rules requiring interconnected alarms and CO detectors
Summary
Ordinance 2026-04 updates Frostburg's rental-housing code to require interconnection of smoke alarms within rental units (hardwired or approved RF wireless), prohibits Wi‑Fi-based interconnection, adds carbon-monoxide alarm requirements to match state law, and creates a $1,000 fine for tampering with life-safety devices.
The Frostburg Mayor and City Council approved ordinance 2026-04 on second reading, updating the city's rental-housing fire-safety rules to require interconnected smoke alarms and to add carbon-monoxide alarm provisions consistent with state law.
The ordinance repeals and reenacts sections 4.01 and 4.02 of appendix D of the city code. Under the new language, all smoke alarms within a rental unit must be interconnected so that activation of any unit's alarm sounds all alarms in that unit. Interconnection can be achieved by hardwired 120-volt wiring or by approved wireless radio-frequency interconnection; Wi‑Fi-based interconnection is expressly prohibited. The ordinance also updates required carbon-monoxide alarms to align with the public safety article of the Annotated Code of Maryland.
Council members noted the change clarifies acceptable technologies and aims to ensure reliable alarm performance in rental housing. The ordinance also amends the municipal infraction schedule to impose a $1,000 fine for tampering with life-safety devices.
The council approved the ordinance on its second reading and set an effective date 20 days after passage, per the ordinance text.
Provenance: The revised interconnection and carbon-monoxide requirements were introduced during the ordinance 2026-04 public hearing and finalized on second reading during the meeting.
