[HISTORY: Adopted by the Town Meeting of the Town of Cohasset
as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Fire prevention — See Ch. 112.
[Adopted as Art. VII, § 27, of the 1988 General
Bylaws; amended 4-6-1992; 7-17-2000]
For the purpose of this article, the following terms, phrases,
words and their definitions shall have the meaning given herein. When
not inconsistent with the context, words used in the present tense
include the future, words used in the plural number include the singular
number, and words in the singular number include the plural number.
The word "shall" is always mandatory and not merely directory.
An assembly of equipment and devices or a single device, such as a solid state unit which plugs directly into a one-hundred-ten-volt AC line, arranged to signal the presence of a hazard requiring urgent attention and to which police are expected to respond. Fire alarm systems and alarm systems which monitor temperature, smoke, humidity or any other condition not directly related to the detection of an unauthorized intrusion into a premises or an attempted robbery at a premises are specifically excluded from the provisions of this article. The provisions of §§ 60-2 to 60-6 of this article shall apply to all users.
An alarm system which has the capability of transmitting
system signals directly to an appropriate receiver within the Cohasset
Police Station.
The activation of an alarm system through mechanical failure,
malfunction, improper installation, or negligence of the user of an
alarm system or his employees or agents;
Any signal or oral communication transmitted to the Police Department
requesting or requiring or resulting in a response on the part of
the Police Department when in fact there has been no unauthorized
intrusion, robbery or burglary, or attempt thereat. For the purpose
of this definition, activation of alarm systems by act of God, including
but not limited to power outages, hurricanes, tornadoes, earthquakes,
and similar weather or atmospheric disturbances, shall not be deemed
to be false alarms.
To connect an alarm system to a voice-grade telephone line,
either directly or through a mechanical device, for the purpose of
using the telephone line to transmit an emergency message indicating
the activation of the alarm system.
Anything which annoys, injures or endangers the comfort,
repose, health or safety of any persons or of any community or neighborhood.
The Chief of Police, with the approval of the Selectmen, may
promulgate such rules as may be necessary for the implementation of
this article.
A.
Interconnecting
system.
(1)
No automatic dialing device shall be interconnected to any telephone
numbers at the Police Department after the effective date of this
article.
(2)
All automatic dialing devices interconnected to Police Department
telephone lines shall be disconnected. The user of each device shall
be responsible for having the device disconnected upon notification
by the Chief of Police.
B.
Intermediary
services. Any person using an automatic dialing device may have the
device interfaced through existing telephone lines to an appropriately
equipped transfer station for transmission to the Police Department.
Transfer is to be facilitated through:
A.
All alarms shall be subject to authorization by the Chief of Police
prior to being connected to the Cohasset Police Station.
B.
The Chief of Police shall have the authority to request proposals and bids from alarm companies in order to furnish at no cost to the Town a communications console and the necessary lines of communications which are compatible with the receipt of alarm signals. Each of the bids shall set forth the annual fee each alarm user will be required to pay the alarm company for services rendered, except that no fee shall be assessed to the Town of Cohasset for any alarms or connections to the console from properties owned by the Town of Cohasset. Such services shall be set forth in the form of a written contract between the alarm company and each alarm user. The provisions of this Subsection B relate solely to the aforementioned communications console, connections by the alarm user, and fees and charges related to the installation and maintenance of the console. Any alarm user has the right to contact any alarm company of his choice for the sale, installation, maintenance, and/or service of the alarm system to be installed on his premises.
A.
Every alarm user shall submit to the Chief of Police the names and
telephone numbers of at least two other persons who are authorized
to respond to an emergency signal transmitted by an alarm system and
who can open the premises wherein the alarm system is installed. It
shall be incumbent upon the owner of said premises to immediately
notify the Cohasset Police Department of any changes in the list of
authorized persons or employees so named in the alarm listing.
B.
All alarm systems installed after the effective date of this bylaw
which use an audible horn or bell shall be equipped with a device
that will shut off such horn or bell within 10 minutes after activation
of the alarm system. All existing alarm systems in use within the
Town of Cohasset shall be required to install an appropriate shutoff
device and otherwise comply with the provisions of this article.
C.
Any alarm system emitting a continuous and uninterrupted signal for more than 10 minutes, which cannot be shut off or otherwise curtailed due to the absence or unavailability of the alarm user or those persons designated by him under Subsection A of this section and which disturbs the peace, comfort or repose of the community, or a neighborhood where the alarm system is located, shall constitute a public nuisance. Upon receiving complaints regarding such a continuous and uninterrupted signal, the Police Chief shall endeavor to contact the alarm user, or member of the alarm user's family, or those persons designated by the alarm user under Subsection A of this section in an effort to abate the nuisance. The Police Chief shall cause to be recorded the names and addresses of all complainants and the time each complaint was made.
D.
No alarm system which is designed to transmit emergency messages
or signals of intrusion to the Police Department shall be tested until
the police dispatcher has been notified. Unauthorized tests will constitute
a false alarm.
A.
The user shall be assessed $25 as a false alarm service fee for each
false alarm in excess of three occurring within a calendar year. The
Police Chief shall notify the alarm user by certified mail or by service
in hand by a police officer of such violation and said user shall
submit payment within 30 days of said notice to the Treasurer-Collector
for deposit into the general fund.
B.
Failure to remove an interconnecting system within 30 days of notice
shall constitute a violation punishable by a fine of $50.
C.
Interconnection of an automatic dialing device to any Police Department
telephone shall constitute a violation punishable by a fine of $50.
D.
Failure to establish and maintain an emergency list of at least two
persons or employees suitable for notification shall constitute a
violation punishable by a fine of $50.
E.
Failure to comply with the penalties established in this section
may result in a written order from the Chief of Police causing all
connections to the user's alarm to be removed from the Cohasset Police
Department.
[Adopted 7-17-2000 (Art.
VII, § 27A, of the 1988 General Bylaws)]
For the purpose of this article, the following terms, phrases,
words and their definitions shall have the meaning given herein. When
not inconsistent with the context, words used in the present tense
include the future, words used in the plural number include the singular
number, and words in the singular include the plural number. The word
"shall" is always mandatory and not merely directory.
Either a fire alarm system or other alarm system as described
below:
FIRE ALARM SYSTEMAn assembly of equipment and devices or a single device such as a single station unit which plugs directly into an electrical connection, or a device which has its own battery power, arranged to signal the presence of fire, heat, smoke or other hazard requiring urgent attention and to which the Fire Department is expected to respond. Burglar alarm systems and alarm systems which monitor movement, vibration or unauthorized intrusion into a premises are specifically excluded from the provisions of this article.
OTHER ALARM SYSTEMAn assembly of equipment and devices or a single device such as a single station unit which plugs directly into an electrical connection or a device arranged to signal the presence of a hazard or hazardous situation requiring urgent attention and to which the Fire Department is expected to respond. Other alarm systems may include, but are not restricted to, a system which is designed to detect the presence of a hazardous, flammable, explosive, toxic, corrosive or otherwise harmful gas, liquid or solid. Burglar alarm systems and alarm systems which monitor movement, vibration or unauthorized intrusion into a premises are specifically excluded from the provisions of this article.
The activation of an alarm system through mechanical failure,
malfunction, improper installation, or negligence of the user of an
alarm system or his employees or agents.
Any signal or oral communication transmitted to the Fire Department
requesting or requiring or resulting in a response on the part of
the Fire Department when in fact there has been no activation due
to the presence of fire, heat, smoke, or other hazardous condition.
A.
Every alarm user shall submit to the Chief of the Fire Department
the names and telephone numbers of at least two other persons who
are authorized to respond to an emergency signal transmitted by an
alarm system and who can open the premises wherein the alarm system
is installed. It shall be incumbent upon the owner of said premises
to immediately notify the Cohasset Fire Department of any changes
in the list of authorized persons or employees so named in the alarm
listing.
B.
In order to protect against the situation where an alarm user or
his designee is unable to respond to open the premises for investigation
and abate the signal or noise emitted by the alarm system, the Cohasset
Fire Department shall be issued a key and detailed instructions in
order to enter and reset or discontinue the audible or visual alarm(s).
The owner or his designee shall be responsible for providing security,
if necessary, in the event that the alarm system cannot be properly
reset and placed back in service.
C.
No alarm system which is designed to transmit emergency messages
or signals of fire or other hazards to the Cohasset Fire Department
shall be tested or taken out of service for maintenance, alteration,
or repair unless the Fire/Police Dispatcher has been notified. Unauthorized
tests or activations due to failure of the owner or his agents to
comply with the specifications of this section shall constitute a
false alarm.
A.
The user shall be assessed $250 as a false alarm service fee for
each false alarm in excess of three occurring within a calendar year.
The Chief of the Fire Department shall notify the alarm user by certified
mail of such violation and said user shall submit payment within 30
days of said notice to the Cohasset Fire Department for deposit into
the general fund.
B.
Failure to establish and maintain an emergency list of at least two
persons or employees suitable for notification shall constitute a
violation punishable by a fine of $50.
C.
Failure to comply with the penalties established in this section
may result in a written order from the Chief of the Fire Department
causing all connection to the user's alarm system to be removed from
the Cohasset Fire Department.