CROSS REFERENCES
Definitions and rules of construction generally, § 1-2.
STATE LAW REFERENCES
Power of city to provide penalties, forfeitures and imprisonment
to punish violations of ordinances, General City Law § 20(22).
[Res. No. 108-92, § 2, 7-14-1992]
The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this chapter,
shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where
the context clearly indicates a different meaning:
Any person who has a security or fire alarm system at premises
located within or outside of the city limits owned, operated, or maintained
by such person or his agents, employees or servants.
A device which is connected to a telephone line and is programmed
to dial for access to an emergency communication center and transmit
by voice message or coded signal to an emergency agency and emergency
message indicating a need for emergency response.
Activation of security or fire alarm system as the result
of mechanical failure, malfunction, improper installation, false alarm
or negligence of the owner, user, custodian or agents or through any
other cause which results in notification of an emergency agency by
a private answering point, automatic dialing device or by a second
party or means which communicates that an emergency situation exists
requiring response by the city when, in fact, no emergency exists.
An avoidable alarm does not include alarms activated by violent conditions
of nature such as hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquake or similar cause
beyond the control of the user of the security or fire alarm system.
Defective installation, failure to repair, or use of defective equipment
shall not constitute a circumstance beyond the control of the alarm
user.
The city offices responsible for receiving and coordinating
911 emergency telephone calls.
The county-wide emergency communication system.
Those security or fire alarm systems that are permitted by
the city to connect into an emergency communication center from outside
of the city limits.
Any premises having a security or fire alarm system which
is determined by the 911 coordinator to present a substantial or extraordinary
security or fire hazard. The following premises shall be presumed
to be high risk:
Those security or fire alarm systems which have a dedicated
telephone line or line override paid for by the user and terminating
at a city-operated emergency communication center.
A signaling system which, when activated, causes an audible
signalling device to be activated outside the premises within which
it is installed.
The individual so designated by the mayor to carry that title.
A business which offers the service of receiving emergency
signals, monitoring the signals and relaying them to an emergency
agency.
An alarm, sounding and/or recording device within a premises
which is not intended to alert persons outside of the premises and
not intended to alert an emergency agency. If a proprietary system
includes a signal line connected to an emergency agency or to a private
answering point or to a local security or fire alarm system, it thereby
becomes a "security or fire alarm system" as defined in this section.
A device that will signal the presence of a hazard requiring
urgent attention and to which police, fire or emergency medical service
agencies are expected to respond. A security or fire alarm system
shall include automatic dialing devices as well as leased line security
or fire alarm systems. A devise connected to a motor vehicle, water
vessel or aircraft shall not be considered a security or fire alarm
for the purposes of this chapter.
A designated telephone line leading to the emergency communication
center having the primary purpose of handling emergency signals from
automatic dialing devices.
[Res. No. 108-92, § 1, 7-14-1992]
The purpose of this chapter is to regulate:
(1)
The connection of security or fire alarm systems to the city emergency
communications centers.
(2)
Automatic dialing device message content to ensure that essential
information is received in order to provide appropriate emergency
response.
(3)
Administrative matters relating to the operations of the city emergency
communication centers and to support the development and successful
implementation of an enhanced county-wide 911 system.
[Res. No. 108-92, § 12, 7-14-1992]
These regulations shall pertain to all security or fire alarm
systems in the city or which otherwise terminate at the fire or police
department. The 911 coordinator may from time to time implement this
chapter by regulation. All regulations shall be issued with an effective
date. It is the duty of all alarm users to keep advised of amendments
to this chapter and to procedures and make appropriate changes and/or
modifications as required.
[Res. No. 108-92, § 10, 7-14-1992]
(a)
It shall be unlawful to fail to comply with the provisions of this
chapter. Unless otherwise provided, any person, business or firm who
shall fail to comply shall be liable for a civil penalty payable to
the city of $150. In addition to the civil penalty payable to the
city, noncompliance shall be punishable by the court by a fine of
not less than $150 and not more than $1,000, or by a term of imprisonment
not to exceed 15 days, or by both such fine and imprisonment.
(b)
The 911 coordinator may order the alarm user to immediately disconnect
any device not conforming with provisions of this chapter. The failure
by such user to obey such order shall be a separate offense punishable
by a fine of not less than $350 and not more than $1,500 or by a term
of imprisonment not to exceed 15 days, or by both such fine and imprisonment.
In addition, the owner of such security or fire alarm system shall
be liable for a civil penalty payable to the city in the amount of
$250 for the failure to obey such order.
[Res. No. 108-92, § 3, 7-14-1992; Res. No. 82-06,
6-27-2006]
(a)
Permit. No person shall, as an alarm user, own, use, lease, operate
or maintain a security or fire alarm system connected to a city emergency
communication center or engage in the business for hire of installing
security or fire alarm systems, other than a proprietary system, unless
such person shall have first registered and obtained from the city
clerk's office a permit as herein provided. All permits shall
expire December 31 of each year and are required to be renewed in
January of each year.
(b)
Registration/application; alarm user. Alarm user permits shall be
issued only to such premises determined to be high risk by the 911
coordinator. In order to obtain an alarm user's permit, a person
who owns or operates a security or fire alarm system shall submit
an application in the form designated by the city, which shall contain
the following:
(1)
The name, home address and telephone number of the person applying
for the permit.
(2)
The address of the premises upon which the security or fire
alarm system is or will be located.
(3)
The address to which notices required under this chapter shall
be sent.
(4)
The type of security or fire alarm system for which the permit
is sought.
(5)
The name of the licensed alarm business selling, installing
and/or maintaining the security or fire alarm system.
(6)
The name, address and telephone number of the licensed private
answering point business providing monitoring service.
(7)
The name, address, and telephone number of two or more persons
who can be reached at any time and who are authorized by the owner
of the premises in which the system is installed to open the premises
and will be present at the premises any time an emergency agency responds
to a security or fire alarm system.
(8)
A plan for safely silencing a local security or fire alarm system
as soon as possible.
(9)
Any other information as the city may require.
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The information required on the permit or renewal application
shall be treated as confidential and shall not be made available to
the general public. The common council finds that the release of such
information would constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy
and could endanger the life or safety of persons at the premises where
a security or fire alarm system is located.
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(c)
(Reserved)
(d)
Registration/application; alarm system installers. In order to obtain
a security or fire alarm system installer's permit, a person
who operates a security or fire alarm system installation/maintenance
business for hire providing services to any alarm user in the city
shall submit an application in the form designated by the city, which
shall contain the following:
(1)
The name, home address and telephone number of the person applying
for the permit.
(2)
The address of the premises where the installer's business
is or will be located.
(3)
The address to which notices required under this chapter shall
be sent.
(4)
The name, address, and telephone number of the owner/shareholder
of the business.
(5)
Evidence of compliance with state licensing requirements.
(6)
Such other information as the city may require.
(e)
Effective date.
(1)
On or prior to October 1, 1992, all automatic dialing devices
and leased line security or fire alarm systems terminating at a city
emergency communication center shall be required to obtain the permit
required by this chapter.
(2)
Effective October 1, 1992, all automatic dialing devices terminating
at the City Dispatch Center shall be required to be programmed to
call designated special trunk lines accessed by designated seven-digit
numbers. The designated emergency telephone numbers will be such seven-digit
numbers as set forth from time to time for such purposes.
(3)
(Reserved)
(4)
On or prior to October 1, 1992, alarm system installers shall
be required to obtain the permit required by this chapter.
[Res. No. 108-92, § 4, 7-14-1992; Res. No. 125-94,
12-27-1994]
(a)
Only digital dialers shall be permitted to be utilized as an automatic
dialing device interconnected with the city communications center.
No automatic dialing device shall be programmed to dial the number
911. All automatic dialing devices terminating at an emergency communication
center must be programmed to dial the seven-digit number designated
by the city from time to time as its automatic device emergency number.
Only high risk premises shall be permitted to interconnect with the
city emergency communications system.
(b)
Any person connecting to the city emergency communication center
shall make prior application to the city for authorization, obtain
a permit, and pay such fees as may from time to time be required for
connection and monitoring.
(c)
Automatic dialing devices shall not hold the telephone line open
after the emergency communication center has broken the telephone
connection.
(d)
Automatic dialing devices shall not dial the emergency communication
center more than three times as a result of a single activation.
(e)
Automatic dialing devices shall not state a message more than twice
after the call has been answered.
(f)
Automatic dialing device messages shall be in the following format:
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"This is (name of household or business) in the _____ of _____
reporting a (robbery, burglary, police trouble, fire, water flow or
medical emergency) alarm at (number, street name) (apartment or room
number) (floor) (building name)."
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Information other than as provided by this subsection may be
authorized by the 911 coordinator.
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(g)
The city emergency communication center shall not provide medical
alert monitoring.
[Res. No. 108-92, § 5, 7-14-1992; Res. No. 115-96,
§ 1, 11-26-1996; Res. No. 82-06, 6-27-2006]
(a)
Alarm notifications which terminate at a private answering point
and are then communicated to the fire or police department by an individual
for appropriate dispatch response shall be permitted to utilize the
911 emergency telephone number. The calling party shall provide the
fire or police department with the following information:
(1)
Type of alarm activated: robbery, burglary, police trouble,
fire, water flow, or medical emergency.
(2)
Name of business or household.
(3)
Street number and name.
(4)
Apartment, room number or floor, if applicable.
(5)
Building name.
(6)
Nearest intersecting street.
(7)
Any additional information as requested by the fire or police
department.
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The calling party shall promptly terminate the call upon transmission
of the above information.
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(b)
(Reserved)
[Res. No. 108-92, § 6, 7-14-1992]
(a)
All local security or fire alarm systems shall become deactivated
and silenced after a period no greater than 15 minutes.
(b)
Police and/or fire officials may disable an audible local alarm signal
that has not been silenced prior to the expiration of the 15 minute
period and shall not be liable for any damage that may result.
[Res. No. 108-92, § 8, 7-14-1992]
The testing of leased line security or fire alarm systems and
automatic dialing devices terminating at the city emergency communication
center shall be authorized in accordance with the following:
(1)
Unless otherwise authorized by the 911 coordinator, business alarms
may be tested a maximum of once per day. Residential alarms may be
tested a maximum of one time per week. Such testing shall be conducted
during the hours of 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. daily. Exceptions for frequency
of tests and hours will be granted when the alarm is being tested
as a result of alarm maintenance or repair.
(2)
Prior to the alarm test, the user must contact the fire or police
department to notify of the test. The caller must provide name, address,
telephone number and type of alarm. The telephone number to be used
when requesting an alarm test is 375-5678 for robbery, burglary or
police trouble alarms and 375-5686 for fire, water flow or medical
emergency calls, or such other numbers as may be designated for such
purpose. If for any reason the alarm test cannot be conducted, the
operator will advise the user and the test shall be rescheduled at
another time.
(3)
A police or fire official may be dispatched to the alarm address
to verify the test.
(4)
Upon test completion, the user shall communicate with the emergency communication center utilizing the appropriate number listed in subsection (2) of this section to confirm the successful alarm test or establish its failure.
(5)
During the test, the fire and police department dispatcher will monitor
the test and evaluate clarity of message, tone and message completeness.
[Res. No. 108-92, § 9, 7-14-1992; Res. No. 84-96,
9-10-1996; Res. No. 115-96, §§ 2, 3, 11-26-1996; Res.
No. 82-06, 6-27-2006]
(a)
There shall be charged for municipal service provided pursuant to
this chapter the following user fees. These fees may from time to
time be reviewed by the common council of the city by resolution.
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Alarm system installer's permit
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No charge
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Alarm system installer renewal
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No charge
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Annual application/connection fee and renewal fee:
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Automatic dialing system
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$10/building
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Leased line system
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$10/building
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Local security or fire alarm system
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No charge
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Residential monitoring by city
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$100/building
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Residential monitoring by city, (for system located outside
city)
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$150/building
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Commercial/industrial monitoring by city
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$175/building
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Commercial/industrial monitoring by city (for system located
outside city)
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$225/building
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Public school system monitoring
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No charge
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Federal, state or county building
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No charge
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Surcharge for tape dialer (City or foreign exchange)
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No charge
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Test (city)
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No charge
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Test (foreign)
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No charge
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Avoidable alarm charge
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1 to 7
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$50/alarm
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8 to 10
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$75/alarm
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11 to 13
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$100/alarm
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14 and above
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$125/alarm
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Late payment administrative charge
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$10 + $2/month
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(b)
All permit renewal fees and monitoring fees shall be payable annually,
in January. No renewal permit shall be issued to any person who has
failed to pay any fee or charge provided by this chapter. False alarm
charges shall be levied after three avoidable alarms in any one-year
period. Avoidable alarm charges shall be payable 30 days after billing.
Alarm users shall be billed by the city and be obligated to pay all
avoidable alarm charges. Monitoring fees will be prorated during the
year of installation. No reimbursement of monitoring fees paid shall
be made upon termination.
(c)
In addition to any other remedy provided for failure to comply with
this chapter, there is established a late payment administrative charge.
The charge shall be a $10 administrative fee plus an additional amount
of $2 assessed for each thirty-day delinquency.
(d)
Failure to pay annual monitoring charges prior to April 1 shall be
deemed to authorize the coordinator to issue a notice of termination
terminating the privilege granted by the permit.
(e)
All monitoring fee revenue from emergency communication services
shall be paid in to a capital project account maintained by the auditor
with such revenue earned for system upgrades.
[Res. No. 108-92, § 11, 7-14-1992]
The 911 coordinator may refuse to permit any person, business
or firm the right to program its automatic dialing devices to access
the designated special trunk line when the coordinator has reason
to that the use of the device would adversely impact the operations
of the fire and/or police department.
