The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this chapter,
shall have the meanings given to them in this section, unless the
context clearly indicates otherwise. Words used in the present tense
include the future, the singular includes the plural, the masculine
shall include the feminine gender. Use of the term "shall" indicates
a mandate and is not directory, "may" implies permissiveness.
ALARM
An audible signal emitted by a warning device indicating
that a crime, fire or other emergency situation, warranting immediate
response action by the police, the Fire Department and/or other emergency
service provider agencies, is occurring or has occurred. This definition
includes, but shall not be limited to, those alarm devices which provide
for the transmission of a telephonic message to a monitoring service
agency or to the Northampton County E-911 Center, and which, in turn,
results in the notification of Hellertown Borough emergency service
provider agencies for response action.
ALARM DEVICE
An electrical, electronic, mechanical and/or combination
electro-mechanical appliance which transmits a notification by wire,
telephone, radio or other means to a person or service who, in turn,
notifies the Northampton County E-911 Center and/or one or more of
the Hellertown Borough emergency service providers of the occurrence
of an alarm activation or activates a bell, gong, klaxon, siren, horn
or other sounding device to be heard outside of a premises, and which
is intended to alert the police, Fire Department and/or other emergency
service providers to the existence or the possible existence of a
crime, fire or other emergency situation, and which warrants, or may
warrant the response of said providers.
AMBULANCE SERVICE
The Dewey Ambulance Service, Hellertown, Pennsylvania, its
officers, agents, employees and servants.
BOROUGH
The Borough of Hellertown, Northampton County, Pennsylvania,
its officers, agents, employees and servants.
EMERGENCY SERVICE PROVIDER AGENCY
Any one of those several agencies which exist in the Borough
of Hellertown to provide aid and assistance to the public during times
of distress and urgencies, and which shall include, but shall not
be limited to, the Borough of Hellertown, Dewey Ambulance Service,
Dewey Fire Company No. 1 and the Hellertown Police Department, together
with the officers, agents, employees and servants of said agencies,
as well as those other area agencies pursuant to a mutual cooperation
agreement.
FALSE ALARM
An alarm to which the police, Fire Department or other emergency
service provider agency responds, and which has resulted from the
activation of an alarm device when a crime, fire or other emergency
warranting the response action of the provider(s) has not, in fact,
occurred. The term "false alarm" shall not include those occurrences
which can be shown to constitute "intentional false alarms," as that
term is defined elsewhere in this chapter.
FIRE DEPARTMENT
The Dewey Fire Company No. 1, Hellertown, Pennsylvania, it
officers, agents, employees and servants.
INTENTIONAL FALSE ALARM
A false alarm resulting from the purposeful and willful activation
of an alarm device by a person, under circumstances where that person
has no reasonable basis to believe that a crime, fire or other emergency,
warranting immediate action by emergency service provider agencies,
is occurring or has occurred.
NORTHAMPTON COUNTY E-911 CENTER
The central emergency services communications and dispatch
agency which serves the emergency services provider agencies of the
Borough of Hellertown, which term shall include the officers, agents,
employees and servants of said Center.
PERSON
Any individual, partnership, corporation, firm, association,
institution, agency or any other legal entity whatsoever which is
recognized by law as being subject to the rights and duties of an
individual.
POLICE DEPARTMENT
The Hellertown Police Department, Northampton County, Pennsylvania,
its officers, agents, employees and servants.
TELEPHONE DIALER ALARM DEVICE
An alarm appliance designed to transmit a notice over telephone
lines to a service which, in turn, notifies the Northampton County
E-911 Center or directly to said E-911 Center.
Nothing contained herein shall preclude other organizations
involved in the alarm process, such as the Northampton County E-911
Center, a commercial alarm monitoring company, or the like, from assessing
charges and/or fees for the registration, maintenance, testing, monitoring
or other services provided upon the owner of an alarm device.
[Amended 9-17-2012 by Ord. No. 775]
A. Any person, firm or corporation who shall violate any provision of
this chapter shall, upon conviction thereof, be sentenced to pay a
fine of not more than $1,000 plus costs and, in default of payment
of said fine and costs, to a term of imprisonment not to exceed 30
days.
B. Those persons who shall violate the provision of §
100-2D above by failing to register alarm devices as required by this chapter, upon conviction thereof, shall be subject to the penalties set forth in Subsection
A.
C. Those persons who shall violate the provisions of §
100-4E above by failing to tender proper false alarm fees in a timely manner, upon conviction thereof, shall be subject to the penalties as set forth in Subsection
A above.
D. Those persons who shall violate the provisions of §
100-4F by causing an intentional false alarm, upon conviction thereof, shall be subject to the penalties as set forth in Subsection
A above, notwithstanding any other fines and penalties as may result from the filing of charges under the Pennsylvania Crimes Code, Title 18.