[Added by Ord. No. 2020-1, 2/4/2020]
The purpose of this part is to provide standards and regulations for various types of fire and emergency alarm devices that require responses thereto by the Northern Lebanon Fire and Emergency Services.
[Added by Ord. No. 2020-1, 2/4/2020]
The provisions of this part shall apply to any person who operates, maintains, or owns any alarm device, dial alarm, or local alarm designed to summon a fire department to any location in response to any type of alarm signal.
[Added by Ord. No. 2020-1, 2/4/2020]
For purposes of this part, the following words shall have the following meaning:
The console or control panel of devices giving a visual or audio response or both and located within the Lebanon County Emergency Agency or elsewhere.
Any type of alarm system actuating equipment in the alarm console providing warning of intrusion, fire, smoke, flood, or other peril.
An alarm device, dial alarm, or local alarm or any combination of the same.
That type of a device using telephone lines transmitting an alarm directly to Lebanon County Emergency Management Agency or any other agency or service that makes notification of such alarm to the Lebanon County Emergency Management Agency.
Any alarm actuated by inadvertence or negligence or unintentional act of someone other than an unauthorized intruder or vandal and shall include alarms caused by a malfunctioning of the alarm system or other relevant equipment, but shall not include alarms created by a malfunction of the alarm console. "False alarm" shall not include alarms activated by wind or electrical storms, lightning, fire, flood, or other acts of nature; shall not include alarms activated by damage to electrical or telephone poles, electrical or telephone transmission lines outside the owners' premises, or routine maintenance by power or telephone companies; shall not include alarms activated during installation of the alarm system; and shall not include alarms activated by vehicles, birds, or other animals outside the protected premises.
The Fire Chiefs, Battalion Chiefs and Fire Commissioner of the Northern Lebanon Fire and Emergency Services, both individually and in combination.
The Northern Lebanon Fire and Emergency Services, both individually and in combination.
Any alarm or device that, when actuated, produces a signal not connecting to the alarm console, such as a store or home burglar alarm actuating bell or horn devices.
Deemed to include any natural person, partnership, corporation, or association.
[Added by Ord. No. 2020-1, 2/4/2020]
1.
It shall be unlawful for any person owning, leasing, or maintaining property or person otherwise occupying a premises in the Borough to put an alarm device into operation on his or her premises or to allow an alarm device to be put in to operation on his or her premises without first causing registration of the alarm device with the Borough.
2.
A person, registering such an alarm device, shall submit the following information to the Borough:
A.
The registrant's name.
B.
The registrant's home address or principal place of business and the telephone number.
C.
The location at which the alarm device is or will be installed or operated, and the type of alarm.
D.
The name, address, and telephone numbers of at least two individuals who have keys to the premises at which the alarm device is located and who are authorized to enter the premises at any time, but do not reside at the location of the alarm device; or in lieu thereof, the name, address and phone number of the company which provide alarm services at the premises and which has on file with it, the names and telephone numbers of such authorized key holders.
3.
Any person having registered an alarm device with the Borough shall insure all information required with the original registration is kept current and accurate. In case of change in the original registration, notice of such change shall be made to the Borough within 10 days of such change. Notification shall be made in person at the Borough office or by mail.
4.
Notwithstanding the language contained in § 7-304, Subsection 1, of this part, it shall not be unlawful for a person to continue to operate an alarm device on his premises without registering such alarm device with the Borough, after the effective date of this part, provided that said alarm device was in operation before the effective date of this part, until such time as the fire company responds to the alarm resulting from the activation of such alarm device, whereafter such person shall have 10 days within which to register such alarm device as required by this part. Failure of such person to register within the 10 days shall be subject to the penalties as provided for here in § 7-308.
[Added by Ord. No. 2020-1, 2/4/2020]
1.
In the case of a false alarm, the Fire Chief, or his designee, shall cause an investigation to be made and shall keep a record of said false alarms on file. For such false alarms, the Borough Council prescribes the following provisions:
A.
For a person's first three false alarms in any year, a warning shall be issued. For the first three false alarms in any year, the Fire Chief, or his designee, shall notify the person occupying the premises upon which the alarm system is located that a false alarm has been received and shall give such person a copy of this part.
B.
For the fourth through sixth false alarms in the same year, an administrative fee of $100 payable to Jonestown Borough shall be imposed for each false alarm.
C.
For the seventh through ninth false alarms in the same year, an administrative fee of $500 payable to Jonestown Borough shall be imposed for each false alarm.
D.
For the 10th and subsequent false alarms in the same year, an administrative fee of $1,000 payable to Jonestown Borough shall be imposed for each false alarm.
E.
The administrative fee hereby imposed shall be payable in addition to any fine hereinafter imposed by this part.
[Added by Ord. No. 2020-1, 2/4/2020]
For the purposes of this part, a year shall mean 365 consecutive days beginning on January 1. The year ends at the conclusion of that period, or December 31 in any Leap Year. A new year will begin after the conclusion of the previous year.
[Added by Ord. No. 2020-1, 2/4/2020]
Notice as required by this part shall be given by the Fire Chief, or his designee, to the person occupying the premises upon which the alarm system is located by mailing a copy of the notice, certified mail, return receipt requested, to such person at the address where the alarm system is located. A notice may also be given by personal service of the notice by handing a copy of the same to the occupant of the premises upon which the alarm system is located or to an adult resident thereof or an employee located thereon. If service is made by personal service, the Fire Chief, or his designee, shall file a proof of service with Jonestown Borough, which shall be under oath and which shall designate the person and title upon whom service was made.
[Added by Ord. No. 2020-1, 2/4/2020]
Any person, firm, or corporation who shall violate any provision of this part or any person who shall fail to pay an administrative fee hereunder, upon conviction thereof in an action brought before a magisterial district judge 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 $600 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 that shall be found to have been violated shall constitute a separate offense.
[Added by Ord. No. 2020-1, 2/4/2020]
This part shall not prevent the Borough from taking other legal action to prevent the abuse of alarm systems by the owner.