RCW 70.54.430
First responders—Emergency response service—Contact information.
(1) When requested by first responders during an emergency, employees of companies providing personal emergency response services must provide to first responders the name, address, and any other information necessary for first responders to contact subscribers within the jurisdiction of the emergency.
(2) Companies providing personal emergency response services may adopt policies to respond to requests from first responders to release subscriber contact information during an emergency. Policies may include procedures to:
(a) Verify that the requester is a first responder;
(b) Verify that the request is made pursuant to an emergency;
(c) Fulfill the request by providing the subscriber contact information; and
(d) Deny the request if no emergency exists or if the requester is not a first responder.
(3) Information received by a first responder under subsection (1) of this section is confidential and exempt from disclosure under chapter 42.56 RCW, and may be used only in responding to the emergency that prompted the request for information. Any first responder receiving the information must destroy it at the end of the emergency.
(4) It is not a violation of this section if a personal emergency response services company or an employee makes a good faith effort to comply with this section. In addition, the company or employee is immune from civil liability for a good faith effort to comply with this section. Should a company or employee prevail upon the defense provided in this section, the company or employee is entitled to recover expenses and reasonable attorneys' fees incurred in establishing the defense.
(5) First responders and their employing jurisdictions are not liable for failing to request the information in subsection (1) of this section. In addition, chapter 30, Laws of 2015 does not create a private right of action nor does it create any civil liability on the part of the state or any of its subdivisions, including first responders.
(6) For the purposes of this section:
(a) "Emergency" means an occurrence that renders the personal emergency response services system inoperable for a period of twenty-four or more continuous hours, and that requires the attention of first responders acting within the scope of their official duties.
(b) "First responder" means firefighters, law enforcement officers, coroners and medical examiners, and emergency medical personnel, as licensed or certificated by this state.
(c) "Personal emergency response services" means a service provided for profit that allows persons in need of emergency assistance to contact a call center by activating a wearable device, such as a pendant or bracelet.
(7) This section does not require a personal emergency response services company to:
(a) Provide first responders with subscriber contact information in nonemergency situations; or
(b) Provide subscriber contact information to entities other than first responders.
[ 2021 c 122 § 5; 2015 c 30 § 1.]
NOTES:
Finding—Intent—2021 c 122: See note following RCW 2.32.050.
Structure Revised Code of Washington
Title 70 - Public Health and Safety
Chapter 70.54 - Miscellaneous Health and Safety Provisions.
70.54.005 - Transfer of duties to the department of health.
70.54.010 - Polluting water supply—Penalty.
70.54.020 - Furnishing impure water—Penalty.
70.54.030 - Pollution of watershed of city in adjoining state—Penalty.
70.54.040 - Secretary to advise local authorities on sanitation.
70.54.050 - Exposing contagious disease—Penalty.
70.54.060 - Ambulances and drivers.
70.54.065 - Ambulances and drivers—Penalty.
70.54.070 - Door of public buildings to swing outward—Penalty.
70.54.080 - Liability of person handling steamboat or steam boiler.
70.54.090 - Attachment of objects to utility poles—Penalty.
70.54.130 - Laetrile—Legislative declaration.
70.54.160 - Public restrooms—Pay facilities—Penalty.
70.54.180 - Deaf persons access to emergency services—Telecommunication devices.
70.54.190 - DMSO (dimethyl sulfoxide)—Use—Liability.
70.54.200 - Fees for repository of vaccines, biologics.
70.54.220 - Practitioners to provide information on prenatal testing and cord blood banking.
70.54.222 - Cord blood banks—Regulation—Application of consumer protection act—Definitions.
70.54.230 - Cancer registry program.
70.54.240 - Cancer registry program—Reporting requirements.
70.54.250 - Cancer registry program—Confidentiality.
70.54.290 - Bone marrow donor recruitment and education program—State employees to be recruited.
70.54.305 - Bone marrow donation—Status as minor not a disqualifying factor.
70.54.310 - Semiautomatic external defibrillator—Duty of acquirer—Immunity from civil liability.
70.54.320 - Electrology and tattooing—Findings.
70.54.330 - Electrology and tattooing—Definitions.
70.54.340 - Electrology, body art, body piercing, and tattooing—Rules, sterilization requirements.
70.54.350 - Electrology and tattooing—Practitioners to comply with rules—Penalty.
70.54.355 - Scleral tattooing prohibited—Penalties—Enforcement.
70.54.370 - Meningococcal disease—Students to receive informational materials.
70.54.400 - Retail restroom access—Customers with medical conditions—Penalty.
70.54.410 - Unintended pregnancies—Sexual health education funding.
70.54.420 - Accountable care organization pilot projects—Report to the legislature.
70.54.430 - First responders—Emergency response service—Contact information.
70.54.460 - Breast health information—Mammography report—Notice.
70.54.470 - Medical debt—Limits on sale or assignment.
70.54.480 - Drayage truck operators—Access to restroom facilities.