For the purposes of this chapter, unless otherwise apparent
from the context, certain words and phrases used in this chapter are
defined as follows:
shall mean any person who is employed by an alarm business,
either directly or indirectly, whose duties include any one or more
of the following: selling, maintaining, leasing, servicing, repairing,
inspecting, altering, replacing, moving, or installing on or in any
building, structure, or facility any alarm system. “Alarm agent”
shall not include persons engaged in the manufacture or sale of alarm
systems from fixed locations who neither visit the location where
such alarm systems will be installed nor design the plan for the physical
location and installation of such alarm system at a specific location.
shall mean the work, occupation, or profession of any person
who performs, authorizes, directs, or causes the selling, leasing,
maintaining, servicing, inspection, repairing, altering, replacement,
moving, or installing of any alarm system, including any business
that monitors alarms.
shall mean any person who purchases, leases, contracts for,
or otherwise obtains an alarm system or for the servicing or maintenance
of an alarm system.
shall mean any mechanical or electronic device installed
at private property which emits a sound or transmits a signal or message
when activated, designated, or used for:
The detection of an unauthorized entry into, or unlawful act
committed within, a building, structure, or facility; or
The detection of fire, smoke, or heat or which requires the
response of medical equipment; and
Creates an action from the Emergency Response Agency.
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“Alarm system” shall not include domestic smoke,
fire, or burglar alarm devices whose primary purpose is to awaken
or alert persons on the premises and which emit a light or sound only
within the protected premises.
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shall mean any alarm system connecting an authorized source
to the Emergency Response Agency by a leased telephone line that may
be connected by any automatic dialing device or any other direct line
that has no intermediate station.
shall mean the County Sheriff-Coroner, the County Fire Department,
the State Department of Forestry, and the County General Services
Agency Communications Division.
shall mean the activation of an alarm signal necessitating
a response by an Emergency Response Agency when an emergency situation
does not exist.
(§ 1, Ord. No. 395)
All alarm systems shall meet or exceed the standards established
by the County Sheriff-Coroner, County Fire Warden, including National
Fire Protection Association Codes 72A and 72C, or Director, General
Services Agency, or such other regulations as may be adopted by the
Council and/or Board of Supervisors of the County.
The County Sheriff-Coroner may exempt any alarm system or kind
or type of alarm system from any or all of the requirements of this
chapter if, in his opinion, such system does not create a substantial
danger of generating false alarms necessitating a response by an Emergency
Response Agency.
(§ 2, Ord. No. 395)
No person shall lease, maintain, service, repair, alter, replace,
move, install, or use any alarm system which automatically direct
dials the telephone number of an Emergency Response Agency.
Alarm businesses which deal in direct dial telephone devices
shall advise each person who acquires such a device for use in any
area subject to this chapter of the existence of this chapter or shall
provide a copy thereof to that person. Alarm businesses may obtain
copies from the County Sheriff-Coroner.
On or before January 4, 1980, all direct dial telephone alarm
systems to an Emergency Response Agency shall be deactivated or modified
so as to remove their direct dialing characteristics. Such alarm systems,
as modified, shall comply with this chapter and with such additional
regulations as may be adopted by the Council and/or Board of Supervisors
of the County.
(§ 3, Ord. No. 395)
Direct alarm systems shall not be connected to an Emergency
Response Agency, except with the permission of the Emergency Response
Agency.
(§ 4, Ord. No. 395)
(a)
When
an alarm system has been activated for an alarm subscriber, the alarm
business which provides the subscription service shall arrange at
all times to have an alarm agency with the ability to be present at
the location of the alarm within one hour after being requested to
do so by a representative of the Emergency Response Agency. The user
of an alarm system which is not part of a subscription service shall
designate a person to be available to respond to the protected premises
within one hour after being requested to do so by a representative
of an Emergency Response Agency.
(b)
The
subscriber or user shall maintain the alarm equipment in proper working
order at all times.
(c)
Each
alarm business or user shall furnish to the Emergency Response Agency
the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of as many persons as
deemed necessary by the Emergency Response Agency to call in the event
of an emergency. Changes occurring in any names, addresses, or telephone
numbers provided shall be immediately communicated to the Emergency
Response Agency in writing.
(d)
All
alarm equipment, installations, and repairs shall comply with rules
and regulations promulgated by the Emergency Response Agency regulating
the times and conditions under which such installations or repairs
may be made or tested.
(§ 5, Ord. No. 395)
All audible alarm systems, after activation, shall limit the
generation of the audible sound to a maximum of 15 minutes, when the
alarm system is protecting a residential premises, and 30 minutes,
when the alarm system is protecting any other premises. This limitation
shall be incorporated into the equipment at the protected location.
Such systems may include an automatic resetting device causing the
subject system to rearm upon automatic shutoff.
(§ 6, Ord. No. 395)
All direct alarm systems shall delay, after activation, signal
transmission to the Emergency Response Agency for a period of at least
30 seconds.
In addition, all direct alarm systems, immediately upon activation,
shall emit a signal perceptible to any person entering, leaving, or
occupying the protected premises, except those systems identified
as silent alarms.
All alarms shall have a device to manually deactivate the alarm
on all equipment installed at the protected premises.
(§ 7, Ord. No. 395)
In addition to any other fines or penalties established by law,
each Emergency Response Agency shall establish rules and regulations
regarding penalties to be imposed upon any alarm business, alarm agency,
alarm subscriber, or user or proprietor of an alarm system which is
not installed or maintained in accordance with the requirements of
this chapter and which, by reason thereof, signals a false alarm.
Such penalties may include refusal to respond to an alarm at the protected
premises, payment of the cost of the Emergency Response Agency in
responding to the false alarm, and payment of damages to the Emergency
Response Agency or to any other person who may suffer damages proximately
caused by the response of an Emergency Response Agency to the false
alarm.
No person shall intentionally initiate a false alarm, except
for purposes of testing an alarm system, and then only after having
given the Emergency Response Agency prior notice thereof. Any person
who violates this chapter shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall
be also subject to the other penalties set forth in this section.
(§§ 8 and 9, Ord. No. 395)
