[Ord. 52-1986, 11/3/1986, § 1]
1.
ACCIDENTAL FALSE ALARM
ALARM
ALARM DEVICE
CENTRAL RECEIVING STATION
DIRECT ALARM DEVICE
FALSE ALARM
INDIRECT ALARM DEVICE
INTENTIONAL FALSE ALARM
PERSON
PUBLIC SAFETY AGENCY
TELEPHONE DIGITAL DIAL ALARM DEVICE
As used in this Part, the following terms shall have the meanings
indicated, unless a different meaning clearly appears from the context:
Any false alarm which is not an intentional false alarm as
defined herein, or an alarm which occurs when there has not been an
intrusion, crime, fire or other emergency.
A communication to a public safety agency indicating that
a crime, fire or other emergency situation warranting immediate action
by the public safety agency has occurred or is occurring.
A mechanical device designed to automatically transmit an
alarm by wire, telephone, radio or other means (A) directly to a public
safety agency; (B) to a person who is instructed to notify the public
safety agency of the alarm; or, (C) to activate a bell or sounding
device to be heard outside a building which is intended to alert the
public safety agency or others to the existence of a crime, fire or
other emergency situation warranting public safety action.
The alarm or control panel installed at a public safety agency
for the purpose of giving visual or audio response to direct alarm
devices.
An alarm device, other than a telephone digital dialer alarm
device, designed to transmit an alarm directly to the public safety
agency.
An alarm to which the public safety agency responds resulting
from the activation of an alarm device when a crime, fire or other
emergency warranting immediate action by the public safety agency
has not in fact occurred.
An alarm device designed to transmit an alarm to a person
who is instructed to notify the police or fire department of the alarm.
A false alarm resulting from the intentional activation of
an alarm device by an individual under circumstances where that individual
has no reasonable basis to believe that a crime, fire or other emergency
warranting immediate action by the public safety agency has occurred
or is occurring.
An individual, corporation, partnership, incorporated association
or other similar entity.
Any police or fire service serving the Township covered by
this Part.
An alarm device designed to automatically transmit a recorded
message over regular telephone lines directly to the public safety
agency or to a person who is instructed to notify the public safety
agency of the alarm.
2.
In this Part, the singular shall include the plural; the plural shall
include the singular; the masculine shall include the feminine and
the neuter.
[Ord. 52-1986, 11/3/1986, § 2; as amended by Ord.
2003-03, 6/2/2003]
1.
If an alarm device is designed to transmit a recorded message directly
to the public safety agency, the duration of such recorded message
shall not exceed 60 seconds. The contents of the recorded message
shall be intelligible and in a format approved by the public safety
agency.
2.
An alarm device need not contain a delay service which causes a delay
to occur between the time the alarm device receives a triggering stimulus
and the time the alarm device transmits an alarm.
3.
A direct alarm device shall be designed to dial only specific telephone
numbers designated by the public safety agency; and to allow the person
to abort the alarm signals.
4.
A direct alarm device shall be designed so that it interfaces with
the central receiving station maintained by the public safety agency.
5.
If an alarm device is designed to cause a bell, siren or sound making
device to be activated on or near the premises on which the alarm
device is installed at the time it gives an alarm, said alarm device
shall be designed to deactivate the bell, siren or other sound making
device after 30 minutes of operation. Alarm devices in operation on
the effective date of this Part must be modified for a 30 minute device
unless said unit cannot be modified without replacement.
6.
The sensory mechanism used in connection with an alarm device must
be adjusted to suppress false indications of fire or intrusion so
that the alarm device will not be activated by impulses due to transient
pressure change in water pipes, short flashes of light, wind noises
such as the rattling or vibrating of doors or windows, vehicular noise
adjacent to the premises or other forces unrelated to genuine alarm
situations.
7.
The alarm device must be maintained by the person in good repair
to assure reliability of operation.
8.
Persons having their alarms terminate at the central receiving station
shall insure that a person residing within 15 minutes of alarmed structure
shall be available to respond when notified that alarm has been received
and their presence is required. The names, addresses and phone numbers
of at least two persons which can be contacted for responses as aforementioned
must be kept on file at the central receiving station for public safety
agency use.
9.
Any person as hereinbefore defined having an automatic fire alarm
system subject to the provisions of this Part who does not maintain
on the premises twenty-four-hour maintenance staff shall be required
to install a Knox box whereby keys for resetting alarm panels and
pull stations for alarm could provide access to representatives of
the fire company to reset the alarm to insure that the person and
the alarm system does not encounter a problem. The person shall provide
in the Knox box emergency telephone contact numbers to provide representatives
of the fire company east access to the facility. Notice of this requirement
shall be furnished to each commercial, industrial and apartment facility
so that compliance can be accomplished within 30 days after notice
of the provision of this Part.
[Ord. 52-1986, 11/3/1986, § 3; as amended by Ord.
09-00, 10/2/2000]
1.
Intentional False Alarms. No person shall create an intentional false
alarm. (18 Pa.C.S.A. § 4905)
2.
Accidental False Alarms. Any person causing accidental false alarms
for any reason shall pay to the Township a charge for each and every
false alarm to which the public safety agency responds, in an amount
as established by resolution of the Board of Supervisors, in each
calendar year.
3.
When a false alarm occurs, the public safety agency, within 10 days
from the date of the false alarm, shall notify the person of the alarm
device from which the false alarm emanated causing said false alarm
that a false alarm charge is due and the amount thereof. Such notice
shall be in writing and mailed to the person causing said false alarm
at his last known address by regular mail, postage prepaid. Failure
of the public safety agency to mail notice of assessment of a false
alarm charge within 10 days from the occurrence of a false alarm shall
preclude the Township from assessing a false alarm charge for said
false alarm.
4.
A false alarm charge shall be due and payable at the office of the
Spring Township Supervisors, 15 days from the date of the mailing
of the notice of assessment of the charge.
[Ord. 52-1986, 11/3/1986, § 4]
If the location of the central receiving station should change
at any time, the public safety office shall not be responsible for
any cost incurred by a person to relocate their alarm because of said
change in location.
[Ord. 52-1986, 11/3/1986, § 5]
No person shall conduct or test any alarm device without first
notifying the public safety agency. Where the equipment is keyed through
an intermediary, notification is unnecessary unless the alarm or signal
is to be relayed to the central receiving station.
[Ord. 52-1986, 11/3/1986, § 6]
The public safety agency of the Township will not accept any
liability to maintain any equipment, to answer alarms nor otherwise
render the public safety agency of the Township liable to any person
for any loss or damage relating to the alarm system or procedure.
[Ord. 52-1986, 11/3/1986, § 7]
Administration and enforcement of this Part shall be functions
of the public safety agency of the Township and shall include the
following: authority to order the disconnection of an alarm device
until such device is made to comply with operational standards set
forth herein, but only when evidence of failure to comply with said
standards imposes a burden upon the public safety agency of the Township
as a result of false alarms.
[Ord. 52-1986, 11/3/1986, § 8; as amended by Ord.
58-1989, 3/6/1989, § 2(K); and by Ord. 09-00, 10/2/2000]
Any person, firm or corporation who shall violate any provisions
of this Part, upon conviction thereof in an action brought before
a district justice in the manner provided for the enforcement of summary
offenses under the Pennsylvania Rules of Criminal Procedure, shall
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 90 days. Each day that a violation of this part continues
or each section of this Part which shall be found to have been violated
shall constitute a separate offense.
