1. Every person who willfully and maliciously removes, damages or destroys any rope, wire, bell, signal, instrument or apparatus for the communication of alarms of fire or police calls is guilty of an offense proportionate to the value of the property removed, damaged or destroyed, but in no event less than a misdemeanor.

2. Every contractor who willfully or maliciously installs or causes to be installed in any structure a fire protection system knowing it to be inoperable, or who impairs the effectiveness of a fire protection system in any structure to an extent that a person in the structure would be endangered in the event of a fire, shall be punished by the permanent revocation of every license issued to the contractor by this state or any political subdivision authorizing the contractor to install fire protection systems, and for a gross misdemeanor.

3. The conviction of a person for a violation of the provisions of subsection 2 does not preclude the prosecution of that person for deceptive trade practices, fraud or similar crimes.

4. As used in this section:

(a) “Automatic fire extinguishing system” means a system approved by the State Fire Marshal that is installed in a structure and designed to extinguish a specific type of fire. This type of system includes dry chemical, carbon dioxide, halogenated agent, steam, high-expansion foam, foam extinguishing and liquid agent systems.

(b) “Automatic fire sprinkler system” means a system of underground or overhead pipes, or both, to which sprinklers are attached that is installed in a structure and designed to discharge water automatically when activated by heat from a fire and to sound an alarm when the system is in operation.

(c) “Contractor” means any person, including a subcontractor, employee or agent of the contractor, who, for another person and for compensation or with the intention or expectation of receiving compensation, undertakes to install or cause to be installed, by himself or herself or by or through others, in any structure, a fire protection system.

(d) “Fire alarm system” means a system composed of a control unit and a combination of electrical devices that is designed to sound an alarm in the event of a fire and that may be activated manually, automatically or in both ways.

(e) “Fire protection system” includes an automatic fire sprinkler system, an automatic fire extinguishing system, a fire alarm system and a standpipe system.

(f) “Standpipe system” means a system of pipes, valves, connectors and related equipment that is attached to a water supply and designed so that water can be discharged through a hose attached to a connector for the purpose of extinguishing a fire.

(g) “Structure” includes a building, bridge, tunnel and power plant.

[1911 C&P § 487; RL § 6752; NCL § 10434] — (NRS A 1967, 489; 1989, 1044)