Southampton, NY Fire Regulations: Smoke Detectors (2026)

Chapter 164, Article II, "Smoke Detectors," was adopted in 1985 to require compact self-contained smoke detectors Town-wide, per the local law's legislative findings, to "greatly further the personal safety of all Town citizens and visitors." Section 164-9A requires, "In any occupied building other than a one- or two-family residence," at least one smoke detector on or near the ceiling in each sleeping room and in dwelling units adjacent to sleeping spaces, plus one in every common interior hall, corridor, or stairway on each floor, and mandates the devices be "wired to the building's electrical system," meaning battery-only units do not satisfy this article for covered buildings.

Section 164-9B ties installation and maintenance standards to current State codes: § R317 of the Residential Code of New York State, § B907.2.10.1.2 of the Building Code of New York State, and § F704 of the Property Maintenance Code of New York State. Responsibility runs with whoever controls the building: § 164-10A puts the duty on the owner unless a lease shifts maintenance to another party, in which case that party must install and maintain any missing units. The original compliance deadline, set in § 164-10B, was January 1, 1986, and the article has required continuous maintenance since. Violations of this article are penalized under § 164-11B, which applies the same schedule used for the rest of Chapter 164's fire-prevention rules.