[HISTORY: Adopted by the Borough Council
of the Borough of Taylor 3-9-1994 by Ord. No. 183. Amendments noted where
applicable.]
This chapter shall be known and cited as "The
Borough of Taylor Emergency Police and Fire Alarm Ordinance."
As used in this chapter, the following terms
shall have the meanings indicated:
Includes all automatic protection systems/devices, which
are designed that upon receipt of a stimulus from a sensory apparatus
that has detected a physical force or condition inherently characteristic
of a fire or intrusion, and results in the activation of any audible
warning device, or prerecorded telephone message, the purpose of which
is to alert and summon police, fire or other emergency personnel to
respond to the location of the emergency. This definition also includes
manually operated controls for hold-up alert or medical emergency.
Any person, firm or corporation who sells, leases and/or
installs automatic emergency alarm protection systems or devices.
All sirens, horns, whistles and bells which are designed
to attract the attention of neighbors and passersby and summon police
or fire personnel and equipment to the scene of the alarm.
The Borough of Taylor, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania.
The Chief of Police of the Borough of Taylor, including any
Acting Chief or a designated representative.
The nontraffic citations used to initiate summary prosecutions
as prescribed by the Rules of Criminal Procedure, Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania.
The Lackawanna County Emergency Communications Center, 200
Adams Avenue, Scranton, Pennsylvania 18503.
See the definition of “alarm.”
Any signal activated by an automatic protection device, any
audible alarm or any other kind of direct or indirect signal given
the police or fire departments or hose companies of Taylor Borough
to which police or firemen respond, which is not a result of a burglary,
fire, robbery or other similar emergency.
The rate to be charged by the Borough for the issuance of
alarm installation permits.
The Fire Chief of the Borough of Taylor or a designated representative.
All properly recorded members of the Taylor Hose Companies
or all properly recorded members of all other fire departments who
may assist the Borough firemen in responding to the alarm.
The written application/permit to be required to be obtained
from the Borough prior to the installation of any alarm, and shall
be on a form prescribed by the Borough.
All sworn members of the Borough of Taylor Police Department
and all other law enforcement agencies who may assist the Borough
police in responding to the alarm.
The cost of personnel and equipment which respond to false
alarms.
A written notice to person(s), property owners, companies
or corporations in control or possession of that property where an
alarm has been installed, and where false alarms originate, directing
corrective repairs to be taken to eliminate the false alarms.
No person, property owner, or member of any
firm or corporation shall install, connect, or tie into any alarm
without first, and before installation is started, submitting the
required fees and securing a permit from the Borough. No permit shall
be transferable, and shall expire when ownership or occupancy of a
residence, business, or other building changes. The new owner or occupant
shall apply for a new permit, and submit therewith a permit fee of
$10, within 30 days of the expiration of a change of ownership or
occupancy.
No permit shall be issued without the payment
of a permit fee of $10.
In addition to the permits required by the Borough,
all person(s), companies or corporations must comply with all regulations,
permits or fees required by Lackawanna County for the installation
of any alarm which by telephone or other means, transmits a signal
to the Communication Center requesting Borough police, fire or other
emergency services to be dispatched to the scene of an emergency.
No person shall conduct any test or demonstration
of an alarm without first obtaining permission from the chief of the
appropriate agency, police and/or fire departments.
All audible alarms must be equipped with a timing
mechanism that will disengage the audible alarm after a maximum period
of 15 minutes. Audible alarms without such a timing mechanism shall
be unlawful in the Borough and must be either modified to conform
to the regulation set forth or must be disconnected within 90 days
from the effective date of this chapter. Written notice that the alarm
has been repaired shall be forwarded.
All persons, companies or corporations within the Borough who have alarm systems which were installed prior to the enactment of this chapter shall, within 90 days of the effective date, provide the appropriate agency, police and/or fire departments with information as to the type of alarm, the name of the person(s), company or corporation who did the installation and the name of person(s), company or corporation providing maintenance service and the person to whom contact may be made to disengage the alarm as set forth in § 47-9.
All person(s), companies or corporations having
control over properties in the Borough where alarms are installed
and in service shall provide to the appropriate agency, police and/or
fire departments a list of person(s) who will be available to respond
to the alarm location for the purpose of shutting off or resetting
the alarm.
Misuse, false activation or accidental activation
of an alarm to which the police and/or fire departments respond shall
be enforced as hereby directed:
A.
The first recorded false alarm shall result in a written
warning notice being issued to the person(s) in charge of the property
where the false alarm originated directing the proper repairs to the
alarm system be completed within five days of the date of issuance
of the warning notice, so as to eliminate additional false alarms
within a ninety-day period immediately following the issuance of the
written warning notice.
B.
All false alarms received from a location where a
written warning notice had been issued, and after the five-day period
allowed for repairs expires, and up to 90 days from the original date
of issue of said written warning notice has expired, shall result
in a citation being issued by the Police Department to the person(s)
in charge of the property where the false alarm originates, and, upon
conviction, shall be sentenced to pay a fine of not less than $25
nor more than $300, plus costs, or to be sentenced to a term of imprisonment
not to exceed 30 days.
C.
Where repairs have been made in compliance to the written warning notice, and no false alarms are received for the ninety-day period following the date of issuance of said written warning notice, and that after the ninety-day period has expired a false alarm is received, enforcement shall again be initiated under Subsection A of this section.
Violations of the provisions set forth in §§ 47-3 through 47-9 may result in a citation being issued to the person(s), property owner, companies or corporation in charge of the property, or alarm equipment suppliers or their employees, and, upon conviction, shall be sentenced to pay a fine of not less than $25 nor more than $300, plus costs. Each day a violation continues or is permitted to continue shall constitute a separate offense for which a separate penalty may be imposed.
In order to maintain uniformity of enforcement and centralized record keeping, the Taylor Borough Police Department shall be the primary enforcement agency for the regulations set forth in this chapter. The Taylor Borough Hose Company and all other emergency services responding to false alarms as defined in this chapter within the Borough, shall make all complaints known to the Taylor Borough Police Department, which will initiate enforcement provisions as outlined under §§ 47-10 and 47-11.
