[HISTORY: Adopted by the Commissioners (now Town Council) of the Town of Denton 3-6-1995 by Ord. No. 331. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Infractions — See Ch. 20.
A. 
In general. In this chapter the following words have the meaning indicated:
ALARM SIGNAL; SIGNALS
The activation of a alarm system that requests a response by a Fire Department.
ALARM SYSTEM
A fire alarm system.
ALARM SYSTEM CONTRACT
(1) 
ALARM SYSTEM CONTRACTOR:
(a) 
A person engaged in installing, maintaining, monitoring, altering, or servicing alarm systems; or
(b) 
An agency that furnishes the services of a person engaged in installing, maintaining, monitoring, altering or servicing alarm systems.
(2) 
"Alarm system contractor" does not include a person who only sells or manufactures alarm devices unless that person services, installs, monitors, or responds to alarm systems at protected premises.
ALARM USER
(1) 
A person in control of an alarm system within, on, or around any building structure, facility, or site.
(2) 
Includes the owner or lessee of an alarm system.
FALSE ALARM
(1) 
Any request for immediate assistance by a Fire Department regardless of cause that is not in response to an actual emergency situation or threatened suggested criminal activity.
(2) 
"False alarm" includes:
(a) 
Negligently or accidentally activated signals;
(b) 
Signals that are the result of faulty, malfunctioning, or improperly installed or maintained equipment; and
(c) 
Signals that are purposely activated to summon the Fire Department in nonemergency situations.
(3) 
"False alarm" does not include:
(a) 
Signals activated by unusually severe weather conditions or other causes beyond the control of the alarm user or alarm system contractor; or
(b) 
Signals activated during the initial sixty-day period following new installation.
(4) 
Second alarm in twelve-hour period.
(a) 
An alarm system that is activated a second time within a twelve-hour period when the premises are unoccupied shall be deemed one false alarm if:
[1] 
Access to the building is provided to the alarm system contractor; and
[2] 
An alarm system contractor or an employee of an alarm system contractor responds.
(b) 
Failure to comply with this subsection shall result in each subsequent alarm being counted as a false alarm.
FIRE DEPARTMENT
The Denton Volunteer Fire Company, Inc., its successors in interest and any other Fire Department serving the Town of Denton.
Except for alarm systems activated by acts of God, weather conditions or causes beyond the control of the alarm user, an alarm system that is negligently or accidentally activated as the result of faulty, malfunctioning or improperly installed or maintained equipment shall be subject to the provisions of § 31-3.
A. 
If the number of false alarms for an alarm user to which the Fire Department actually responds exceeds three or more responses within a twelve-month period, the Town shall issue a civil citation to the alarm user, to include a fine as set forth below in Subsection B.
B. 
The reoccurrence of false alarms as defined hereunder shall be a municipal infraction, the fine for which shall be as follows:
Number of False Alarms
Fine Per Alarm
Third
$75
Fourth
$100
Fifth
$200
Over Fifth
$250