The Town Board of the Town of East Fishkill
has determined that it is in the public interest to regulate the installation
of monitored fire and burglar alarms within the Town of East Fishkill.
The purpose of this is to help to eliminate the high incidence of
false alarms and/or nuisance intrusions alarms that are a threat to
the health, safety and welfare of the public service workers of the
Town of East Fishkill. Additionally, the Town recognizes the importance
of providing the Fire Department with rapid entry into locked buildings.
Any delay in gaining entry could result in substantial property damage,
the potential for rapid fire extension and increased danger to the
fire fighters. It is for these purposes that this chapter is adopted.
The following words and terms shall have the
following meanings:
Fire Code of New York State, the National Fire Protection
Association National Fire Alarm Code 72 (NFPA 72), 1999 Edition, and
Title 19, Part 195, of the New York State Compilation of Codes, Rules
and Regulations, pertaining to the business of installing, servicing
and maintaining security or fire alarm systems as regulated by Article
6D, New York State General Business Law.
Persons designated by a governing authority that should be
representative of the community, alarm users, the alarm industry,
and law enforcement. The Advisory Board should review and recommend
false alarm reduction efforts and report to the governing authority.
An audible alarm system signal generated by the manual activation
of a device intended to signal a life-threatening or emergency situation
requiring law enforcement response.
The Town of East Fishkill Building Inspector or Deputy or
any individual designated by the governing authority to administer,
control and review false alarm reduction efforts and administer the
provisions of this chapter.
The period from January 1 until the next succeeding December
31, except for the first year during which an alarm permit is issued
which year shall commence on the date of permit issuance and shall
end on the next succeeding December 31.
A notification to a law enforcement agency that an alarm,
either manual or automatic, has been activated at a particular alarm
site.
A device that is designed to respond either manually or automatically
to smoke, fire, gas/fumes or activation of a fire suppression system.
A person in the business of selling, providing, maintaining,
servicing, repairing, altering, replacing, moving or installing an
alarm system in an alarm site.
Authorization granted by the Alarm Administrator to an alarm
user to operate an alarm system.
A single fixed premises or location served by an alarm system
or systems. Each unit, if served by a separate alarm system in a multi-unit
building or complex, shall be considered a separate alarm site.
A device or series of devices, including, but not limited
to, hardwired systems and systems interconnected with a radio frequency
method such as cellular or private radio signals, which emit or transmit
a remote or local audible, visual or electronic signal indicating
an alarm condition and intended to summon law enforcement response,
including local alarm systems. “Alarm system” does not
include an alarm installed in a vehicle or on someone's person unless
the vehicle or the personal alarm is permanently located at a site.
Any person who inspects, installs, repairs or performs maintenance
on alarm systems. This person shall be qualified pursuant to Article
6D of the New York State General Business Law.
Any person, who (which) has contracted for monitoring, repair,
installation or maintenance service from an alarm installation company
or monitoring company for an alarm system, or who (which) owns or
operates an alarm system which is not monitored, maintained or repaired
under contract.
A device that allows control of an alarm system.
Any electrical, electronic, mechanical, or other device capable
of being programmed to send a prerecorded voice message, when activated,
over a telephone line, radio or other communication system, to a law
enforcement, public safety or emergency services agency requesting
dispatch.
The process where response is terminated when a monitoring
company (designated by the alarm user) for the alarm site notifies
the responding law enforcement agency that there is not an existing
situation at the alarm site requiring law enforcement agency response
after an alarm dispatch request.
A system or group of systems in which the operations or circuits
and devices are transmitted automatically to, recorded in, maintained
by and supervised from a listed central station.
The transaction or process by which one alarm installation
company or monitoring company begins the servicing and/or monitoring
of a previously unmonitored alarm system or an alarm system previously
serviced and/or monitored by another alarm company.
A silent alarm system signal generated by the entry of a
designated code into an arming station in order to signal that the
alarm user is being forced to turn off the system and requires law
enforcement response.
The Town of East Fishkill Police Department, the Building
Inspector, or his designated representative.
An alarm dispatch request to a law enforcement agency, when
the responding law enforcement officer finds no evidence of a criminal
offense or attempted criminal offense after having completed a timely
investigation of the alarm site.
The activation of any fire alarm system which results in
a response by the Fire Department and which is caused by the negligence
or intentional misuse of the fire alarm system by the owner, its employees,
agents or any other activation of a fire alarm system not caused by
heat, smoke or fire, exclusive of a nuisance fire alarm.
The assessment of a monetary charge payable to the Town of
East Fishkill Building Department jurisdiction authorized pursuant
to this chapter, to defray the expenses of responding to a false fire
alarm or nuisance fire alarm.
A document issued by the enforcement official or Fire Department
indicating that the activation was deemed to be the result of a fire
alarm activation due to fire, a nuisance fire alarm, or a false fire
alarm.
Any individual, partnership, corporation or other entity
that is appropriately licensed by the State of New York and installs,
causes to be installed, permits to be installed, alters, maintains,
repairs, replaces or services any fire alarm system.
A system or portion of a combination system consisting of
components and circuits arranged to monitor and/or exterior annunciate
the status of a fire alarm device, supervisory signal-initiating device
or gas detector and to initiate the appropriate response to those
signals.
An enforcement official approved person or persons assigned
to the premises for the purpose of protecting the occupants from fire
or similar emergencies. A fire watch may involve at least some special
action beyond normal staffing, such as assigning an additional security
guard(s) to walk the premises who has been specially trained in fire
prevention and in the use of fire extinguishers, in notifying the
Fire Department, in sounding the fire alarm system located on the
premises, and in understanding the particular firesafety situation.
A silent alarm signal generated by the manual activation
of a device intended to signal a robbery in progress.
The Commissioner, Superintendent, Sheriff, Chief of Police,
director or other authorized representative of a law enforcement agency.
This person shall be qualified pursuant to Article 6D of
the New York State General Business Law.
Equipment, materials, or services included in a list published
by an organization that is acceptable to the authority having jurisdiction.
Any alarm system, which is not monitored, that annunciates
an alarm only at the alarm site.
The process by which a fire alarm business receives signals
from a fire alarm system and notifies emergency forces.
The process by which a monitoring company receives signals
from an alarm system and relays an alarm dispatch request to the municipality
for the purpose of summoning law enforcement to the alarm site.
A person in the business of providing monitoring services.
The activation of any fire alarm system, which results in
a response by the Fire Department, caused by mechanical failure, malfunction,
improper installation, lack of proper maintenance or any other response
for which the Fire Department personnel are unable to determine the
apparent cause of the alarm activation.
The manual activation of a silent alarm signal by entering
at an arming station a code that adds one to the last digit of the
normal arm/disarm code (e.g., normal code: 1234, one plus duress code:
1235).
Any person who owns the premises in which a fire alarm system
is installed or the person or persons who lease, operate, occupy or
manage the premises.
An individual, corporation, partnership, association, organization
or similar entity.
Any building, structure or combination of buildings and structures
which serve as dwelling units such as single-family, multifamily or
any other area within a building, structure or combination thereof
which is used for any purpose, wherein a fire alarm system is installed.
Any person who inspects, installs, repairs or performs maintenance
on fire alarm systems. This person shall be qualified pursuant to
Article 6D of the New York State General Business Law.
The completion of a form equivalent to the record of completion
form included in the National Fire Protection Association's National
Fire Alarm Code (NFPA 72).
The notification by an owner to the enforcement official
that a fire alarm system has been installed and is in use.
A facility that receives signals and at which personnel are
in attendance at all times to respond to these signals.
Appropriate documentation in a format acceptable to the enforcement
official that verifies proper repairs or maintenance has been performed
by both the fire alarm business and the owner.
Detached one- and two-family dwellings and multiple single-family
dwellings (townhouses) not more than three stories in height.
An individual capable of reaching the alarm site within 30
minutes and having access to the alarm site, the code to the alarm
system and the authority to approve repairs to the alarm system.
The service provided by a runner at the protected premises,
including resetting and silencing of all equipment transmitting fire
alarm or supervisory signals to an off-premises location.
Hand-delivery of written notification by a representative
of the jurisdiction to the owner or authorized representative who
responded to the premises. In the event the owner or authorized representative
fails to respond to the premises within one hour, "serve" shall mean
placing the form or other matter in the United States Mail; postage
prepaid, addressed to the owner or authorized representative.
The transaction or process by which an alarm user takes over
control of an existing alarm system which was previously controlled
by another alarm user.
An attempt by the monitoring company, or its representative,
to contact the alarm site by telephonic or other electronic means,
whether or not actual contact with a person is made, to determine
whether an alarm signal is valid before requesting law enforcement
dispatch, in an attempt to avoid an unnecessary alarm dispatch request.
Division of devices into which an alarm system is divided
to indicate the general location from which an alarm system signal
is transmitted.
