[HISTORY: Adopted by the Borough Council of the Borough of Bradford
Woods 6-12-2006 by Ord. No. 405[1]. Amendments noted where applicable.]
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance repealed former Ch. 84, Alarms, adopted
1-3-2006 by Ord. No. 403.
A.
ALARM
ALARM DEVICE
ALARM SYSTEM
FALSE ALARM
PERSON
POLICE DEPARTMENT
YEAR
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have
the meanings indicated, unless a different meaning clearly appears from the
context:
A communication to the Police or Fire Department which serves the
Borough of Bradford Woods indicating that a crime or fire or other emergency
situation warranting immediate response has occurred or is occurring.
A self-contained device present inside a building and which is designed
to detect the presence of smoke, heat, carbon monoxide or motion and to then
emit a sound audible within the building to warn persons therein of such presence.
A system designed to automatically transmit an alarm, by wire, telephone,
radio or other means, to the County of Allegheny's "911" Dispatch Center
or to a person who is instructed to so notify the County of Allegheny's
"911" Dispatch Center of the alarm or to activate a bell or other sounding
device to be heard outside a building and which is intended to alert the police
or others to the existence of a crime or fire or other emergency situation
warranting official response.
An alarm to which the Northern Regional Police Department of Allegheny
County responds and which results from the activation of an alarm system or
alarm device when an actual crime, fire or other emergency warranting immediate
action by such Police Department has not in fact occurred.
An individual, corporation, partnership, unincorporated association
or other similar entity.
The Northern Regional Police Department of Allegheny County.
The calendar year.
B.
In this chapter, the singular shall include the plural,
the plural shall include the singular; and the masculine shall include the
feminine and the neuter.
A.
False alarms.
(1)
Any person causing or reporting accidental false alarms
for any reason or the permit holder of an alarm system that transmits a false
alarm for any reason shall pay to the Northern Regional Police Department
of Allegheny County a charge for each and every false alarm to which the Northern
Regional Police Department of Allegheny County responds, in each calendar
year, as follows:
(a)
False alarm:
[1]
First false alarm, each calendar year: $50 or proof of
yearly maintenance contract in effect for any alarm system involved in transmittal
of the false alarm.
[2]
Second false alarm, each calendar year: $50.
[3]
Third false alarm, each calendar year: $75.
[4]
Fourth false alarm, each calendar year: $100.
[5]
Each false alarm in excess of four, each calendar year:
the amount of the charge assessed for the immediately preceding false alarm
during that calendar year, plus an additional $25.
(2)
When a false alarm occurs, the Northern Regional Police
Department of Allegheny County shall, within 45 days from the date of the
false alarm, notify the permit holder for the alarm system or owner of the
alarm device from which the false alarm originated or other person causing
said false alarm that a false alarm charge is due and the amount thereof.
Such notice shall be in writing and mailed by regular mail, postage paid,
to the last known address of the permit holder or other person causing said
false alarm.
(3)
A false alarm charge shall be due and payable to the
Northern Regional Police Department of Allegheny County and shall be payable
at its headquarters location (230 Pearce Mill Road, Wexford, PA 15090) 30
days from the date of the mailing of the notice of assessment of the charge.
B.
False fire alarms.
[Added 6-12-2006 by Ord. No. 406]
(1)
Any person causing or reporting accidental false fire
alarms for any reason or the permit holder of an alarm system that transmits
a false fire alarm for any reason shall pay to the Bradford Woods Volunteer
Fire Company which serves the Borough of Bradford Woods a charge for each
and every false fire alarm to which such Fire Department responds, in each
calendar years as follows:
(a)
First false fire alarm from an alarm system each year:
$100 or proof of yearly maintenance contract in effect.
(b)
First false fire alarm from an alarm device, each year: $100 or proof acceptable to the Bradford Woods Volunteer Fire Company and submitted within 30 days from the date of the notification, described in Subsection A(2) of this section, of the repair or replacement of the alarm device from which the false alarm originated.
(c)
All other false fire alarms each year: $300 per false
fire alarm.
(2)
When a false fire alarm occurs, the Fire Department which
serves the Borough of Bradford Woods shall, within 45 days from the date of
the false fire alarm, notify the permit holder for the alarm system or owner
of the alarm device from which the false fire alarm originated or other person
causing said false fire alarm that a false alarm charge is due and the amount
thereof. Such notice shall be in writing and mailed by regular mail, postage
paid, to the last known address of the permit holder or other person causing
said false fire alarm.
(3)
A false fire alarm charge shall be due and payable at
the Bradford Woods Volunteer Fire Company office (4908 Wexford Run Road, P.O.
Box 143, Bradford Woods, PA 15015) 30 days from the date of the mailing of
the notice of assessment of the charge.
(4)
Any person, firm or corporation who shall violate any provision of this Subsection B or who shall fail to pay a charge for a false fire alarm shall, upon conviction, before the District Magistrate there, be sentenced to pay a fine not more than $600 and/or to imprisonment for a term not to exceed 90 days.
No person shall conduct or test any alarm device without first obtaining
permission from the Northern Regional Police Department of Allegheny County.
Where the equipment is keyed through an intermediary, no such permission is
necessary unless the alarm or signal is to be relayed to the central receiving
station.
The issuance of a permit for an alarm system shall not constitute acceptance
by the Borough of Bradford Woods of any liability to maintain any such equipment,
to answer alarms, nor otherwise render the Borough of Bradford Woods liable
to any person for any loss or damage relating to the alarm system or procedure.
Administration and enforcement of this chapter shall be the function
of the Borough of Bradford Woods and the Northern Regional Police Department
of Allegheny County (to the extent specified herein).
Any person, firm or corporation who shall violate any provision of this chapter or who shall fail to pay a charge for a false alarm shall, upon conviction, before the District Justice there, be sentenced to pay a fine not more than $500 per violation, which amount shall be in addition to any charges pursuant to § 84-2.
