[Adopted 11-8-2004 by Ord. No. 29-2004]
Numerous persons currently transmit fire alarms
to the Township by one or more various means referred to as "systems"
in this article. By transmitting fire alarms to the Township, such
persons engage in a relation with the Township, which relation imposes
reciprocal duties, responsibilities and obligations on such persons.
The number of false alarms transmitted by these fire alarm systems
is troublesome, burdensome and costly to the Township, its fire districts,
its volunteer fire-fighting personnel and its taxpayers. A need exists
to curtail such false alarms. Local regulation by way of this article
will serve to do so.
The purpose of this article is to provide for
regulation of the installation, operation and maintenance of certain
fire alarm systems within the Township, to regulate related conduct,
to provide for enforcement and to provide administrative charges and
other effective sanctions for false alarms and penalties for violations
of this article.
As used in this article, the following terms
shall have the meanings indicated:
APPROVED CENTRAL STATION
An independent alarm-monitoring system which has not been
disapproved by the respective fire district as capable of verifying
alarms, identifying actual fire alarms and distinguishing them from
noise, movement, radiation, other kinds of emanations and signals
and other kinds of alarms, and which has agreed in writing with the
enforcing agency to retransmit only verified fire alarms and only
to the fire communications central dispatch.
AUDIBLE ALARM
A devise which emits an audible signal from the premises
the device is designed to protect.
CENTRAL STATION ALARM
A device connected to an independent alarm monitoring firm
or entity and requiring further telephone communication for fire response.
DIRECT DIAL ALARM
A device which, when actuated, causes a recorded message
to be transmitted, via telephone, to the Township's designated fire
communications central dispatch requesting fire response.
FALSE ALARM
Either a signal, message or warning transmitted to the Township's
fire communications central dispatch, indicating a fire condition;
or an emission of an audible, visual or electronic transmission of
any signal, message or warning intended to summon the services of
Township fire-fighting personnel or apparatus, which signal, message
or warning is activated by a cause other than one for which the transmitting
system is specifically designed to respond, at a time when no fire
exists.
FIRE ALARM SERVICE COMPANY
Performs installation, service, repair and/ or maintenance
on a fire alarm system and its component parts and is certified by
the Division of Fire Safety, State of New Jersey.
FIRE ALARM SYSTEM OR SYSTEM OR ALARM SYSTEM
Any mechanical, electrical or electronic device which is
designed or used for alerting others about the existence of any condition
requiring the response of fire personnel and which emits and/or transmits
a signal or message to one or more locations off the premises when
actuated. Alarm systems include, but are not limited to, direct dial
alarms, audible alarms, central station alarms and subscriber alarms.
FIRE CHIEF
The duly elected Chief of the Moorestown Fire Department
or the Lenola Fire Company.
[Amended 3-9-2020 by Ord. No. 4-2020]
FIRE DEPARTMENT OFFICER
The duly appointed line officer of the Moorestown Fire Department
or the Lenola Fire Company.
FIRE DISTRICT
The Moorestown Fire District No. 1 or Moorestown Fire District
No. 2, as the case may be.
FIRE OFFICIAL
The duly appointed Fire Official pursuant to Township ordinances.
INHABITED
Inhabited by one or more individuals, whether on a continual
or an occasional basis, and includes times when no individual is upon
or within premises occasionally inhabited.
PERSON
An individual, corporation, partnership or other entity.
TOWNSHIP
The Township of Moorestown in the County of Burlington.
VERIFICATION
The procedure of initiating telephone
contact, upon receipt of a fire alarm, with the protected premises
to ascertain whether the fire alarm is authentic or is caused by accidental
activation or alarm equipment failure or malfunction. If telephone
contact by the approved central station with the protected premises
cannot be made within two attempts of four telephone rings at no more
than 90 seconds, or if telephone contact is made but authentication
of a fire alarm cannot be made within 90 seconds, then the approved
central station shall immediately retransmit the fire alarm to the
fire communications central dispatch. Verification shall only be required
for residential properties.
[Amended 3-9-2020 by Ord. No. 4-2020]
The enforcing agency shall:
A. Be responsible for the administration and enforcement
of this article, including making reasonable on-site inspections and
examinations of buildings and other premises.
B. Develop and promulgate regulations for the installation,
maintenance, service and monitoring of fire alarm systems.
C. Develop and promulgate regulations for the operation
of fire alarm system during construction, renovation, alteration and
repair to the premises at and for which they are located.
D. Review and approve plans and specifications for the
fire alarm systems and their installations, after such plans have
been reviewed and approved by Township Fire Subcode Official.
E. Pass on applications for and to issue certificates
of registration for fire alarm systems.
F. Issue such oral and written orders as are necessary
to carry out the provisions of this article.
G. Make, keep and maintain records of all fire alarm
systems, applications and certificates of registration, false alarms,
regulations and changes in regulations, orders issued and similar
information necessary or useful to the administration of this article.
H. Investigate and ascertain the causes of all false
fire alarms and maintain records of the same.
I. Bill for, pursue and receive payment of administrative
charges.
J. Establish criteria for the approval of central stations.
K. Have discretion, in the event
an investigation discloses a failure by the fire alarm system owner
to take timely and appropriate remedial steps to avoid further false
alarms or his disregard of related lawful orders of the enforcing
agency, after explicit written notice to the fire alarm system owner
via hand delivery, posting on the premises or email, or, in the event
that the owner is not present at the property, to such other person
as is in occupancy of the property, including the operator in control,
in accordance with the regulations in this article, with the consent
of the respective Fire Chief, that the respective fire district not
answer further alarms caused by or originating from such fire alarm
system until such time as that system is recertified by the enforcing
agency upon submission of a completed application.
[Amended 3-9-2020 by Ord. No. 4-2020]
L. Issue, or cause to be issued, summons to the Municipal
Court or such other court as may have jurisdiction, for failure to
comply with the provisions of this article.
[Amended 3-9-2020 by Ord. No. 4-2020]
Unless the alarm transmission
is caused by an alarm company, monitoring company or the licensed
alarm contractor, the provisions of this article shall not apply to:
A. The general alerting alarms that may be used by fire
companies, emergency squads or emergency management agencies to summon
responses of their members.
B. Alarm systems affixed to motor vehicles.
C. Alarm system installed in public buildings owned by
the Township of Moorestown or Moorestown Board of Education.
[Adopted 2-13-1989 by Ord. No. 1445-89]
The purpose of this article is to establish
regulations concerning the operation and maintenance of burglar alarm
systems within the Township of Moorestown, to regulate related conduct,
to provide for enforcement and to provide administrative charges and
other effective sanctions for false alarms and penalties for violations
of this article.
As used in this article, the following terms
shall have the meanings indicated:
ALARM SYSTEM
Any mechanical, electrical or electronic device which is
designed or used for the detection of unauthorized entry into a building,
other structure or facility or for alerting others about the commission
of any unlawful act within a building, other structure or facility
or for alerting others about the existence of any other condition
requiring response of police or emergency personnel, other than a
fire alarm system controlled by the Moorestown Fire Alarm Ordinance; and which emits and/or transmits an audible and/or visual
signal or message when actuated. "Alarm systems" include, but are
not limited to, direct-dial telephone devices, audible alarms, central
station alarms and subscriber alarms.
AUDIBLE ALARM
A device that emits an audible signal from the premises it
is designed to protect.
CENTRAL STATION ALARM
A device connected to an independent alarm-monitoring firm
or entity and requiring further telephone communication for police
or emergency response.
DIRECT-DIAL ALARM
A device which, when actuated, causes a recorded message
to be transmitted, via telephone, to the Moorestown Township Police
Communications Center requesting emergency response.
EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBER
The primary telephone number advertised to the public for
requesting emergency services.
FALSE ALARM
A signal, message or warning transmitted to the Moorestown
Township police headquarters, indicating a police need or an emergency
condition, which signal, message or warning is activated by a cause
other than one for which the transmitting system is specifically designed
to respond, at a time when no police need or emergency condition exists.
PERSON
An individual, corporation, partnership or other entity.
POLICE
The Moorestown Township Police Department.
TOWNSHIP
The Township of Moorestown in the County of Burlington.
This article and its requirements shall apply
with equal force and effect to all alarm systems, whether placed in
service prior to or subsequent to the effective date of this article.
[Amended 3-20-2006 by Ord. No. 5-2006]
A. The Chief of Police shall investigate each false alarm
and maintain a record of each false alarm, including the date and,
if determined, the cause.
[Amended 11-30-2015 by Ord. No. 25-2015]
B. Fine schedule.
(1) Following the third false alarm in any calendar year,
the Chief of Police shall cause a notice to be mailed to the owner
of the property advising that each subsequent false alarm in the calendar
year will result in the imposition of a fine in accordance with the
following schedule:
[Amended 11-30-2015 by Ord. No. 25-2015]
(a)
Fourth false alarm: $50 fine.
(b)
Fifth false alarm: $100 fine.
(c)
Sixth false alarm: $150 fine.
(d)
Seventh false alarm: $200 fine.
(e)
Eighth false alarm: $250 fine.
(f)
Ninth false alarm: $300 fine.
(g)
Tenth false alarm: $350 fine.
(h)
Eleventh false alarm: $400 fine.
(i)
Twelfth false alarm: $450 fine.
(j)
Each subsequent false alarm: $500 fine.
(2) Payment shall be due within 72 hours of receipt of
the written notice of the false alarm and the fine in accordance with
the schedule.
C. If an investigation discloses continued abuse of the
alarm connection privilege, and a failure by the subscriber to take
remedial steps to avoid false alarms, the Police Department's investigating
official shall have the right to require disconnection from the Police
Department dispatch center. In that event, the alarm subscriber will
be notified of the disconnection, both orally and in writing, as soon
as reasonably possible by the Police Department.
D. If the Police Department finds that an alarm system
is malfunctioning, the Police Department may, after giving oral confirmation
of the malfunctioning alarm system to the owner, possessor or operator
thereof, discontinue police response to that alarm system. The Police
Department shall also, as soon as reasonably possible, forward to
the owner, possessor or operator written notice by mail of the discontinuance
of police response.
The Police Department will not accept information otherwise required by §
45A-16B(1) for central station alarms. It will be the responsibility of the central station and its owner and operator to notify the owner of the respective alarm system of alarm activations.
The provisions of this article shall not apply
to:
A. The general alerting alarms that may be used by fire
companies, emergency squads or emergency management agencies to summon
responses of their members.
B. Alarm systems affixed to motor vehicles.