[Adopted 8-8-2000 by Bill No. 765]
The following words, terms and phrases, when
used herein, shall have their respective definitions, unless a different
meaning appears from the context:
FALSE ALARM
A.
Any request for immediate assistance by the
Fire Department regardless of cause that is not in response to an
actual emergency situation.
B.
"False alarm" includes:
(1)
Negligently or accidentally activated signals;
(2)
Signals that are the result of faulty, malfunctioning,
or improperly installed or maintained equipment; and
(3)
Signals that are purposely activated to summon
the Fire Department in a nonemergency.
C.
"False alarm" does not include signals activated
by unusually severe weather conditions or causes beyond the control
of the alarm user.
FIRE ALARM
Any audible building alarm, any automatic telephone dialing
device with a recorded message, any silent/audible phone-in alarm
system called in by an alarm company, monitoring service with either
a live or recorded message and any signal alarm connected to any fire
installation.
FIRE ALARM SYSTEM
A system, or portion of a combination system, consisting
of components and circuits arranged to monitor and annunciate a fire
alarm, or supervisory signal-initiating devices designed to initiate
the appropriate response to those signals.
FIRE PROTECTION SYSTEM
Any fire alarm device or system, fire extinguishing device
or system, or combination thereof, designed and installed for detecting,
controlling, or extinguishing a fire or otherwise alerting occupants,
the Fire Department, or both that a fire is or has occurred.
NUISANCE ALARM
Any unnecessary or nonemergency response by a fire company
caused by a semblance or likeness of smoke, flame, or combination
thereof, such as, but not limited to, fog or mist, on or within any
structure or premises.
No fire protection system shall be installed,
enlarged, or modified until a permit has been obtained in the name
of the owner of the premises by either the owner of the premises or
a fire protection system business which installs, services or maintains
the fire protection system. Plans and specifications shall be submitted,
reviewed and approved by the Fire Official prior to the installation
of the fire protection system. All fire protection systems shall be
installed, maintained and tested in accordance with applicable codes
and standards. All installations of new fire protection systems shall
be inspected, tested, and approved, by the Fire Marshal or his designee
before final acceptance.
The owner of an alarm system that is negligently
or accidentally activated as the result of faulty, malfunctioning,
or improperly installed or maintained equipment or as the result of
a nuisance alarm shall be subject to fine of $250 for each alarm exceeding
two in any calendar year. Within 30 days after any such alarm, the
owner must have the alarm system serviced by a certified alarm company
and present proof to that effect to the local fire official of the
responding fire company, and in default shall be subject to a fine
of $250. This section shall not apply to alarm systems activated by
acts of God, weather conditions or causes beyond the control of the
alarm user or owner.
The Chief Officer of any Fire Department and/or
the Fire Marshal may order abatement and/or discontinuance of the
use of any equipment, device, appliance, and/or system that has caused
more than two nuisance alarms in any calendar year.
[Amended 11-13-2007 by Bill No. 1108]
A. The Fire Marshal or his designees shall have the right to inspect any fire protection system on the premises where it is installed during reasonable hours. The Fire Marshal, any Deputy Fire Marshal, any certified law enforcement officer, and the Chief Code Compliance Officer and his designees appointed pursuant to Chapter
58, Talbot County Code, shall have the authority to enforce the provisions of this article.
B. Failure to comply with the provisions of this article
shall be a municipal infraction, punishable by a fine not to exceed
$250. Any such municipal infraction shall be prosecuted in accordance
with the procedures provided by Md. Code Ann., Local Government Article,
§ 6-101 et seq., as amended.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General
Provisions, Art. I)]
C. In addition to any other remedy or penalty provided by law, this article may be enforced by the Chief Code Compliance Officer and his designees in accordance with the provisions of Chapter
58, Talbot County Code. Civil penalties imposed pursuant to Chapter
58 shall not exceed $250 per violation.