For purposes of this Part 5, the following terms are defined as follows:
Any condition occurring in a communications or transmission
channel that interferes with the proper transmission and/or interpretation
of status change signals at the supervising station.
A device suitable for connection to a circuit that has a
sensor that responds to a physical stimulus such as heat, smoke, motion
or sound.
A communication to the Mt. Lebanon Emergency Services indicating
that an Alarm System has activated warranting immediate action by
the Mt. Lebanon Police and/or Fire Departments, or by Medical Rescue
Team South Authority.
A system or portion of a combination system that consists
of components and circuits arranged to monitor and annunciate the
status of alarm initiating devices or supervisory signal initiating
devices and to initiate the appropriate response to those signals.
An annual operational permit required for both Required and
Non-Required Alarm Systems.
The Municipality of Mt. Lebanon and its public safety agencies
who are responsible for enforcing the requirements of a code or standard,
or for approving equipment, systems, materials, an installation and/or
a procedure.
A system component at the Protected Premises to which initiating
devices or groups of devices are connected. The DACT seizes the connected
telephone line, dials a pre-selected number to connect to a Private
Alarm Supervising Station, and transmits signals indicating a status
change of initiating devices.
Medical Rescue Team South Authority (MTRSA).
An Alarm Signal, to which the MLPD, MLFD, and/or MRTSA respond
resulting from the activation of an Alarm Detector/Initiating Device
when a crime, fire or other emergency warranting immediate action
has not, in fact, occurred.
The Mt. Lebanon Fire Department (MLFD).
A signal transmission resulting from the intentional activation
of an Alarm Detector/Initiating Device by an individual under circumstances
where the individual has no reasonable basis to believe that a crime,
fire or other emergency warranting immediate action by the MLPD, MLFD
or MRTSA has occurred or is occurring.
Alarm Systems not required by the Municipality of Mt. Lebanon
but installed by the property owner and monitored by a Private Alarm
Supervising Station.
Any alarm caused by mechanical failure, malfunction, improper
installation, lack of proper maintenance, or any alarm activated by
a cause that cannot be determined.
A person, property owner, or business to which the AHJ has
issued a construction/installation and/or Private Alarm System Operational
Permit.
The Mt. Lebanon Police Department (MLPD).
Alarm Systems not required by the Municipality of Mt. Lebanon
but installed by the property owner and monitored by a Private Alarm
Supervising Station.
A facility NOT owned by the Municipality of Mt. Lebanon that
receives Alarm Signals.
The physical location protected by a fire, intrusion, emergency
medical Alarm System or any combination of systems.
Alarm Systems required by the Mt. Lebanon Code and International
Building Code for occupancies in Use groups A-1, A-2, A-3, A-4, E,
I-1, I-2, I-3, R-1 and R-2.
502.1.
It shall be unlawful for a property
owner, lessee of property or a person otherwise occupying a premises
within the Municipality of Mt. Lebanon to install a Required Alarm
System on the premises without first obtaining the applicable construction
and installation permits from the AHJ. In order to obtain the applicable
Construction and Installation Permit, plans for the alarm system,
an application for a permit and a fee must be submitted to the Mt.
Lebanon Fire Department in accordance with the requirements of the
AHJ.
502.2.
It shall be unlawful for a property owner, lessee of property,
or a person otherwise occupying a premises within the Municipality
of Mt. Lebanon to install and/or operate a Required or Non-Required
Alarm System without obtaining an Alarm System Operational Permit.
In order to obtain an Alarm System Operational Permit an application
for a permit and fee must be submitted to the Mt. Lebanon Fire Department
in accordance with the requirements of the AHJ.
502.2.1.
In addition, each person submitting an application for an Alarm System
Operational Permit shall submit a signed release in following form:
“I (We) the undersigned applicant(s) for an alarm system
operational permit, intending to be legally bound hereby, state that
neither I (we), nor anyone claiming by, through or under me (us),
shall make any claim against Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania for any damage
caused to the protected premises at which the Alarm System, which
is the subject of this application, is or will be located, if such
damage is caused by a forced entry to said premises by employees of
Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania in order to answer an Alarm Signal from
said Alarm System at a time when said protected premises are or appear
to be unattended or when in the discretion of said employees, circumstances
appear to warrant a forced entry.
Furthermore, for Required Alarm Systems, I (we) hereby agree that, periodically and upon five days' written notice, representatives of the Police or Fire Departments of Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania shall be allowed to enter my (our) premises between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. on weekdays for the purpose of inspecting my (our) Alarm System installation in order to determine whether or not it is in accordance with the operational standards set forth in §8-503 of Chapter 8 of the Mt. Lebanon Code.”
502.3.
It shall be unlawful for a property owner, lessee of property,
or a person otherwise occupying a premises within the Municipality
of Mt. Lebanon to operate a Required Alarm System without obtaining
an Alarm System Operational Permit. In order to obtain an Alarm System
Operational Permit an application for a permit and fee must be submitted
to the Fire Department in accordance with the requirements of the
AHJ.
502.4.
The AHJ shall, within 10 business days from receipt of an application
for a construction, installation and/or Alarm System Operational Permit,
either grant a Permit to the applicant or notify the applicant in
writing that his application has been denied and the reason or reasons
why it has been denied.
502.5.
An application for a construction, installation and/or Alarm
System Operational Permit may only be denied for any one of the following
reasons:
502.6.
The AHJ shall have the power to revoke a construction, installation
and/or Alarm System Operational Permit. An Alarm System permit shall
be revoked by notifying the Permit Holder in writing that his Permit
has been revoked and the reason or reasons why it has been revoked.
Said written notice shall be:
502.6.1.
Delivered personally to the Permit Holder, in which case the revocation
shall be effective immediately upon delivery, or
502.6.2.
Mailed to the Permit Holder at his last known address by certified
mail, postage prepaid, in which case the revocation shall be effective
three days after mailing.
502.7.
A construction, installation and/or Alarm System Operational
Permit may be revoked for any one of the following reasons:
502.7.1.
Failure of an Alarm System to conform with the operational standards set forth in §8-503, or
502.7.2.
Failure of a Permit Holder to pay a False Alarm charge assessed to him by the AHJ under the provisions of §8-505 within 30 days of the mailing to him of a notice of assessment of a False Alarm charge, or
502.7.3.
The occurrence of more than 25 False Alarms from an Alarm System
during any calendar year, or
502.7.4.
The occurrence of an Intentional/Malicious False Alarm caused by
the Permit Holder or by any individual over the age of 15 who resides
on the premises where the Alarm System is located.
502.8.
A person who has had his Alarm System Operational Permit revoked
under §502.6 and §502.7 may re-apply for an Alarm System
Operational permit 45 days after the effective date of such revocation;
provided, however, that if a person’s Alarm System Operational
Permit was revoked for nonpayment of a False Alarm charge, the AHJ
shall deny said application unless such charge has been paid. Notwithstanding
the foregoing, a person who has had his Alarm System Operational Permit
twice revoked on the basis of an Intentional/Malicious False Alarm
may not re-apply for an Alarm System Operational Permit for one year
from the effective date of the second revocation. Exceptions are Required
Alarm Systems which are required by the AHJ and Municipal ordinance.
503.1.
An Intrusion Alarm System shall be
designed so that a thirty second delay occurs between the time the
Alarm Detector/Initiating Device receives a triggering stimulus and
the time the DACT transmits an Alarm Signal.
503.2.
If an Alarm System is designed to cause a bell, siren or sound-making
device to be activated outside the protected premises, said Alarm
System shall be designed to deactivate the bell, siren or other sound-making
device after five minutes of operation.
503.3.
All Alarm Systems shall meet the applicable standards of the
Underwriters Laboratories and/or the National Fire Protection Association
Standard 72, and/or other recognized industry standards. The applicant
for a permit may be required to submit evidence of the reliability
and suitability of the Alarm System.
503.4.
The Alarm Detector/Initiating Device used in connection with
an Alarm System must be adjusted to suppress false indications of
fire or intrusion, so that the Alarm System will not be activated
by impulses due to transient pressure change in water pipes, short
flashes of light, power surges, wind noises such as the rattling or
vibrating of doors or windows, vehicular noises adjacent to the premises,
or other forces unrelated to genuine alarm situations.
503.5.
An Alarm System must be maintained by the Permit Holder in good
repair to assure reliability of operation.
503.5.1.
Required Alarm Systems shall be tested annually. Records of such
testing shall be submitted annually with the Alarm System Operational
Permit and shall be kept in accordance with the requirements of AHJ
and the Mt. Lebanon Code.
503.6.
Representatives of the Police or Fire Department shall, periodically
and upon five days’ written notice, have the authority to enter
the premises at which a Required Alarm System is located between the
hours of 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. on weekdays for the purpose of inspecting
the Alarm System installation in order to determine whether or not
it is in accordance with the operational standards set forth in this
Section. Said representatives may require the repairs be made whenever
they have determined that such are necessary to assure proper operation.
It shall be unlawful to cause an Intentional/Malicious False
Alarm.
505.1.
A Permit Holder shall pay to the
Municipality a charge for False Alarms transmitted from his Alarm
System during any calendar year, according to a fee schedule set by
the Commission. The Commission may alter the fee schedule from time
to time by resolution adopted at any public meeting of the Commission.
505.1.1.
When a False Alarm occurs, the AHJ, within 10 days from the date
of each False Alarm, shall notify the Permit Holder of the Alarm System
from which the False Alarm transmitted that a False Alarm charge is
due and the amount thereof, if any. Such notice shall be in writing
and mailed to the Permit Holder at his last known address by regular
mail, postage prepaid. Failure of the AHJ to mail notice of assessment
of a False Alarm charge within 10 days from the occurrence of a False
Alarm shall preclude the AHJ from assessing a False Alarm charge for
said False Alarm.
505.2.
A False Alarm charge shall be due and payable at the Fire Department
or the Police Department 30 days from the date of the mailing of the
notice of assessment of the False Alarm charge.
The issuance of an Alarm System permit shall not constitute
acceptance by the Municipality of any liability to maintain any equipment,
to answer Alarm Signals or for anything in connection therewith.
Any applicant or Alarm System Operational Permit Holder aggrieved by the action of the AHJ in denying or revoking any permit related to the construction, installation, operation or maintenance of any Alarm System, or by any other adverse determination of the AHJ taken pursuant to the provisions of this Part 5, shall have the right of appeal to the Board of Appeals pursuant to the procedures set forth in the Administrative Code, Chapter 1, §1-128, the Building Code, Chapter 2, and the Fire Prevention Code, Chapter 4.
