[HISTORY: Adopted by the Township Committee of the Township of Elsinboro 9-7-2021 by Ord. No. 2021-07. Amendments noted where applicable.]
All properties within the Township of Elsinboro having an automatic fire alarm system or a fire sprinkler system shall be equipped with a key box. Residential property shall be exempt from this requirement.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
The key box shall be of DL (dual lock) type and approved by the Elsinboro Township Fire Official. The key box shall be installed in a location approved by the Elsinboro Township Fire Official.
The key boxes shall contain the following:
A. 
Keys to locked points of egress, whether on the interior or exterior of such buildings.
B. 
Keys to locked mechanical equipment rooms.
C. 
Keys to the locked electrical rooms.
D. 
Keys to elevator controls.
E. 
Keys to other areas as directed by the Township Fire Official.
All existing buildings shall comply within 12 months of the effective date of this article. Existing structures that have already installed key boxes may keep them in their current location. All newly constructed buildings not yet occupied, or buildings currently under construction, shall comply immediately.
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
ACT OF GOD
An electrical storm, lightning or other power fluctuation or power surge beyond the control of the alarm system owner.
AUTOMATIC ALARM DEVICE
Any alarm system which communicates or transmits alarms or prerecorded messages of fire, smoke, flood or other peril as a result of the activation of the alarm system.
FALSE ALARM
Any erroneous or unfounded communication or sound, whether caused by the malfunction of an automatic alarm device, power failure or inadvertence, negligence or intentional or unintentional act of any person, firm or corporation, either directly or indirectly, to a commercial alarm service or to any person causing the communication of the peril to the Elsinboro Township Fire Company.
PERSON
Any person, firm, partnership or corporation.
PROPERTY OWNER
Any individual, entity, corporation, tenant or other person having a legal interest in a property having an alarm system.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
Any person having knowledge of an alarm activation shall immediately notify the Elsinboro Township Fire Company. The Fire Company shall cause an investigation to be made of all alarm activations and a record of the same shall be kept on file.
It shall be the responsibility of all persons that maintain alarms systems within the Township to prevent the transmission of false alarms through training programs, periodic inspection and maintenance of the alarm system.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
For all false fire alarms, the Elsinboro Township Fire Official or Fire Company representative will issue a false fire alarm warning form to the person on location representing the business. There shall be a fine as indicated below to be paid by the owner of the business located upon the premises where the alarm is situated beginning with the sixth and each subsequent false alarm thereafter in any calendar year.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
A record of same shall be kept on file for all false alarms in the office of the Bureau of Fire Prevention and also on file with the Elsinboro Township Fire Company.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
The provisions of this article shall not apply to the general alerting alarms that may be used by fire companies, ambulance squads or other municipal agencies to summon response of their members. The provisions of this article shall not apply to alarm systems that are affixed to motor vehicles. For false alarms, the Elsinboro Township Fire Official or the Elsinboro Township Fire Company shall issue a notice of violation with order to pay penalty for the sixth false alarm, as per the penalties schedule below.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
Failure to pay a false alarm penalty will result in a written complaint from the Elsinboro Township Fire Official or Elsinboro Township Fire Company to the Municipal Court for collection of penalties.
Alarm activations, upon investigation of the Elsinboro Township Fire Official and/or Elsinboro Fire Company, determined to be caused by an act of God shall not be penalized per the violation schedule.
A. 
First through fifth false alarm: no fine.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
B. 
On the sixth alarm: a penalty of $250.
C. 
On the seventh alarm: a penalty of $300.
D. 
On the eighth alarm: a penalty of $400.
E. 
On the ninth alarm: a penalty of $500.
F. 
Any alarm thereafter: a penalty of $500.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
All fines collected for false alarms shall be added to the budget of the Elsinboro Fire Company.