[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Supervisors of the Township
of West Lampeter 1-3-2012 by Ord. No. 225. Amendments noted where
applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Noise — See Ch. 172.
The intent of this chapter is to insure public safety, health,
and welfare by minimizing the number of false alarms originating from
the site of the alarm system, reducing the service demands on emergency
response agencies, and improving the safety to the public.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
A written report issued by the emergency service agency citing
the false alarm activation.
A functionally related group of devices that when either
automatically or manually activated will sound audio or visual warning
devices on or off the protected premises.
The West Lampeter Township Board of Supervisors.
The Pennsylvania State Police, or any municipal police, fire
or emergency medical service department or volunteer fire companies
and emergency services.
Any signal activated by an automatic protection device, any
audible alarm or other kind of direct or indirect signal given to
which police, fire department or emergency response agencies respond
which is not the result of an attempted illegal entry, burglary, intrusion,
fire, medical or other similar emergency, excluding weather extremes
and utility interruptions, which activates a protection device.
A secure, tamperproof Knox-Box® or similar device approved
by the Township with a lock operable only by the fire department master
key; and containing entry keys and other keys that may be required
for access in an emergency.
Any individual, firm, partnership, association, corporation,
company or similar entity.
West Lampeter Township.
The West Lampeter Township Official charged with the duty
of administration and enforcement of codes as adopted by West Lampeter
Township.
A.
All occupancies, other than one- and two-family dwellings, installing
an alarm system as of the date of the adoption of this chapter, having
an electronic or radio connection to a central station, shall install
an approved lock box for the premises being protected.
C.
All lock boxes shall be electronically supervised and shall have
the tamper switch connected to the fire alarm panel to indicate a
supervisory or trouble signal. The supervisory signal shall report
to the central station for owner/occupant notification.
D.
Keys that provide immediate access to the premise and to fire-protection-related
equipment shall be identified as to the door they operate and secured
in the lock box within two days of new lock box installations.
E.
Persons required to install lock boxes in accordance with this section
shall obtain and submit an application from the Township Building
Code department. The cost of the applicant to the Township shall be
established from time to time by resolution by the Board of Supervisors.
A.
All persons owning and operating an alarm system within the Township
shall have the following duties and responsibilities with respect
to such system:
(1)
To keep and maintain the system in good operating condition, order
and repair.
(2)
To keep and maintain at the site of the alarm system, a complete
set of written operating instructions for such system.
(3)
To provide training and instruction to individuals customarily occupying
the site of the alarm system in its proper operation.
(4)
To cooperate with the Township and/or the designee in preventing
or minimizing the number of false alarms originating from the site
of the alarm system.
A.
It shall be unlawful for any person owning or occupying any premises
within West Lampeter Township to make or cause to make a false fire
or security alarm directly or indirectly to any fire department or
emergency response agency responding to alarms within the Township
when the false alarm is caused by faulty detection or alarm equipment
or by the negligence of said property owner, lessee or person.
B.
The responding emergency response agency shall determine whether
the activation of an alarm constitutes a false alarm as defined by
this ordinance and shall issue a false alarm activation report to
the property owner or lessee with a copy to the Township Code Official.
C.
Any person that owns, uses or operates an alarm system may not cause
or permit a subsequent false alarm to occur after three false alarms
in the same consecutive twelve-month period.
D.
Upon notification of a false alarm violating Subsection C, the Township shall assess a service fee against the responsible party in the amount of $200 per each event.
E.
In addition to other such remedies as may be available under existing
law, the Township may institute an action in equity to prevent, restrain,
correct, abate or enjoin such violation of this chapter.
F.
Nothing in this section is intended to prohibit the prosecution of
false alarms pursuant to 18 Pa. C.S. § 7511, as may be amended,
by the emergency response agency responding to the false alarm or
by the Township.
G.
The issuance of any permit shall not constitute acceptance by the
Township of any liability to maintain any equipment, or answer alarms
nor otherwise to render the Township liable to any person for any
loss or damage relating to the alarm system or procedure.
