In the year 2001, the Washington State legislature allocated $2 million to help pay for the costs of retrofitting fire sprinkler systems in state licensed non-sprinkled boarding homes. The Washington State Patrol Office of the State Fire Marshal in cooperation with the Department of Social and Health Services (DSHS) were tasked with the administration of the grant process.

Section 503 of SSB 6155 provides for varying levels of state funding to help pay for retrofitting boarding homes with fire sprinklers. The amount of funding provided depends on the ratio of DSHS clients and/or low-income residents.

• Boarding homes with a resident ratio of 75% or more DSHS clients and/or low-income residents are eligible for 100% of the costs of installing sprinklers.
• Boarding homes with a resident ratio between 15% and 75% DSHS clients and/or low-income residents are eligible for 100% of the difference between the cost of retrofitting and the cost of installing sprinklers during the original construction.
• Boarding homes with a resident ratio of less than 15% DSHS clients and/or low-income residents are eligible for 50% of the difference between the cost of retrofitting and the cost of installing sprinklers during original construction.

For boarding homes that were awarded grants for installing fire sprinklers during the 1999-2001 biennium:

• You now have until June 30, 2003 to complete the installation of the fire sprinklers. (extended from June 30, 2001)
• Your are required to report the ratio of DSHS clients to DSHS annually until 2006