This chapter shall be known as the "Doylestown Township Alarm
Ordinance".
For the purpose of this chapter, the following words shall have
the definitions as hereinafter set forth:
ALARM
A communication to a public safety agency indicating that
a crime, fire, or other emergency has occurred or is occurring in
Doylestown Township, warranting immediate action by a public safety
agency.
ALARM SUPPLIER
Any individual, partnership, corporation, or other legal
entity who sells, leases, maintains, services, repairs, alters, replaces,
moves, or installs any alarm system or causes any alarm system to
be sold, leased, maintained, serviced, repaired, altered, replaced,
moved, or installed in or on any building, structure, or any other
facility within Doylestown Township.
ALARM SYSTEM
Any assembly of equipment, mechanical, electrical, or battery
operated, arranged to signal the occurrence of a police, fire, hazard,
or medical emergency in Doylestown Township requiring urgent attention
and to which public safety agencies are expected to respond.
ALARM USER
Any individual, partnership, unincorporated association,
corporation, trust, or other legally recognized entity in control
of any premises which utilizes any alarm system which directly or
indirectly notifies any public safety agency that an immediate response
is warranted.
AUDIBLE ALARM
Any device, bell, horn, or siren, which is attached to the
interior or exterior of a building, structure, or facility that emits
a warning signal audible outside a building, structure, or facility
and is designed to attract attention when activated, which said activation
requires emergency response from police, fire, hazard, or medical
emergency responders.
EMERGENCY
A situation requiring immediate response by police, fire,
hazard, or medical professionals.
FALSE ALARM
The activation of an alarm system to which a public safety
agency responds when a crime, fire, or other emergency has not occurred.
LICENSE-ALARM SUPPLIER
A written license granted to an alarm supplier by Doylestown
Township upon compliance with this chapter, any rules and regulations
adopted thereto, and the payment of any required fee.
LICENSE-ALARM USER
A written permit granted to an alarm user by Doylestown Township
after compliance with the terms and conditions of this chapter and
any regulations adopted in furtherance thereof and upon payment of
the required fee.
TRUNK LINE
Telephone line leading into the communication centers of
the police, fire, or other emergency service, which is for the purpose
of handling calls on a person-to-person basis, and which is identified
by a specific listing among the White Pages in the telephone directory
issued by a telephone company(ies), online, or on a website.
On or after the effective date of this chapter, owners or users
of audible alarms must equip such audible alarms with timing mechanisms
that will disengage the audible alarms after a maximum of 15 minutes
of sound. Audible alarms without such timing device shall be unlawful
in the Township and must be disconnected by the owner or user on or
before April 1, 2017.
On and after the effective date of this chapter, all automatic
dialing services that transmit recorded messages directly to the Police
or Fire Department shall be keyed to the County Department of Communication
radio room (telephone line separate and distinct from the trunk lines
for the communications center).
Every alarm supplier selling, leasing, or furnishing to any
alarm user; or an alarm user who privately installs an alarm system
that is located on premises within the Township shall:
A. Be permitted to install only equipment that is listed by Underwriter's
Laboratories, Inc., as being electronically safe and meeting the Township
requirements for the alarm system. Wiring for the alarm system must
conform with all applicable Township codes. In the case of fire alarms,
the stricter of the National Fire Protection Association standards
or Township regulations shall apply.
B. Be required to cause each alarm system installed with standby battery
power, which shall automatically and immediately take over in the
event of a power failure.
C. Be required to install equipment in such a way as to neutralize electrical
surges on the alarm system.
D. Be required to deactivate any alarm system within a reasonable period
of time when multiple false alarms are received.
No person shall conduct any test or demonstration of any alarm
system without first notifying the shift supervisor of the Township
police or fire radio network, as applicable.