The purpose of this chapter is to provide minimum standards
and regulations applicable to burglary, robbery and fire alarm systems
and users as defined in this chapter.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
ALARM INSTALLATION
The design, installation, repair, alteration and maintenance
of systems causing an alarm to be sounded in the event of a burglary,
holdup, medical emergency, fire or the occurrence of any predetermined
hostile situation.
ALARM SYSTEM
A signal device or the assembly of equipment and devices
arranged to signal a hazard or intrusion requiring urgent attention
and to which the Police, Ambulance or Fire Department is expected
to respond. In this chapter, the term "alarm system" shall include
the terms "tape dialer," "digital communicator," "direct connect alarm,"
"local alarm" and "masterbox alarm," as those terms are hereinafter
defined.
ALARM USER
Any person on whose premises an alarm is maintained within
the Town of Hudson, except for alarm systems on motor vehicles or
proprietary alarm systems.
ANSWERING SERVICE
A telephone answering service which provides the service
of receiving emergency signals from alarm systems and thereafter immediately
relaying the message by live voice to the appropriate authority.
CENTRAL STATION
Any facility which is privately owned or that owns, leases
or sells alarm systems, whose facility is staffed by employees who
receive, record and validate alarm signals and relay the information
of such signals to the Police or Fire Department by any means.
CHIEF OF DEPARTMENT
Either the Fire Chief or the Chief of the Police Department,
whichever is appropriate.
DIGITAL COMMUNICATORS
An alarm system which automatically selects a telephone line,
electronically dials a preset telephone number and communicates its
message with a machine at the alarm receiving center.
DIRECT CONNECT
Any alarm system which is directly connected by telephone
lines or other hardware to the alarm processing unit within the police
monitoring facility or the fire alarm office.
FALSE ALARM
The activation of any alarm system to which the Police or
Fire Department responds, which is not the result of a robbery, burglary,
attempted robbery, attempted burglary, smoke or fire. This definition
shall not apply to alarms caused by electrical storms, floods or other
violent events of nature.
FIRE ALARM OFFICE
The entity within the Hudson Fire Department where all alarms
transmitted to the Hudson Fire Department are processed.
FALSE ALARM REDUCTION SEMINAR
Quarterly, the Hudson Police Department and the Hudson Fire
Department will host a false alarm reduction seminar. Attendance in
this seminar is voluntary and attendance in this seminar will allow
an alarm user to have one false alarm fee waived. Only one waiver
will be allowed in a twelve-month period.
[Added 3-9-2004]
FIRE CHIEF
The Chief of the Fire Department or his designee.
LOCAL ALARM
Any alarm system not connected to any monitoring facility
and which, when activated, causes the activation of an audible and/or
visual signaling device at the premises within which the alarm system
is installed.
MANUAL ALARM
Any alarm in which the activation of the alarm is initiated
by the direct action of the user, his agents or employees and is installed
to elicit a Police or Fire Department emergency response.
MASTERBOX ALARM
The transmission of a fire alarm signal to the fire alarm
office over a special municipally owned and maintained wire system,
herein referred to as the "Municipal Alarm System."
PERSON
Any natural person, corporation, unincorporated association
or other legal entity.
PROPRIETARY SYSTEM
All alarm systems sounding and/or recording alarm and supervisory
signals at a control center located within the protected premises,
the control of which is under the supervision of the proprietor of
the protected premises or his employees or agents. If a "proprietary
alarm system" includes a signal line connected directly or indirectly
to the police communications center, or the fire alarm office, a central
station or answering service, it thereby becomes an alarm system as
defined by this chapter.
TAPE DIALER
An alarm system which automatically selects a telephone line,
dials a prerecorded telephone number and reproduces a prerecorded
voice message.
TOWN
The Town of Hudson, New Hampshire.
VERIFICATION
An independent method of determining that a signal from a
burglary/intrusion alarm system reflects a need for immediate police
response and investigation. The verification process must be conducted
by the central station monitoring personnel and must take no longer
than five minutes from the time the alarm signal has been accepted
by the central station monitoring person until a decision is made
to whether to call for a police dispatch.
[Added 3-9-2004]
[Amended 3-9-2004]
Upon application, the Chief of Department is hereby authorized
to issue a permit to any owner or lessee of property located within
the Town of Hudson to maintain, modify or install any alarm system
that reports to the fire alarm office. Upon application, the Chief'
of Police is hereby authorized to issue a permit to any owner or lessee
of property located within the Town of Hudson to maintain, modify
or install any alarm system that reports to a central station.
A. The alarm user applying for the permit shall state on the application
his name, address and telephone number and, in the case of a corporation
or legal entity, the name(s), address(es) and telephone number(s)
of the person(s) responsible for the upkeep, maintenance and operation
of the alarm system and any other information that may be deemed necessary.
(1) Upon application, the Chief of Police shall determine whether the
application conforms to the requirements of this chapter and whether
the facts stated therein are true and accurate. He may have the system
inspected for reliability and workmanship.
(2) Fire Department monitored systems: Upon application, the Fire Chief
shall determine whether the application conforms to the requirements
of this chapter and whether the facts stated therein are true and
accurate. He shall have the system inspected for workmanship, functionability
and compliance with the National Electric Code, the National Fire
Codes and any other codes or regulations that may be applicable.
Any alarm user who, after having a permit revoked and after
exhausting his right to a hearing, fails to disconnect his alarm system
shall be guilty of a violation and, upon conviction, shall be fined
not less than $100.
All departments of the Town which receive automatic alarms shall
take every reasonable precaution to assure that the alarm signals
received by them are given appropriate attention and are acted on
with dispatch. Neither the Town of Hudson nor any of its employees
shall be liable for any defects in the operation of any alarm system
or for the failure or neglect of any person in connection with the
installation or operation of said alarm systems or their components
or the transmission or relaying of such signals. In the event that
the Police or Fire Department finds it necessary, after exhausting
all other provisions of this chapter, to disconnect any alarm, device
or system, the Town of Hudson shall incur no liability for such action.
The records kept pursuant to this chapter shall not be public
records.
All ordinances or regulations or parts of ordinances or regulations
which are inconsistent herewith are hereby repealed.
In the event that any section or provision of this chapter is
determined by a court of competent jurisdiction to be unconstitutional
or otherwise void or unenforceable, that provision shall automatically
be severed from the body of this chapter, with the intent that the
constitutional or otherwise lawful portions of the chapter shall remain
in full effect.