[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Commissioners
(now City Council) of the City of Brigantine as indicated in article
histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Fire prevention — See Ch.
175.
Fees schedule — See Ch.
210, Art.
II.
[Adopted 10-6-1982 by Ord. No. 28-1982]
The appropriate officer of the City of Brigantine
is hereby empowered to negotiate a contract with a responsible supplier
(hereinafter "supplier") for installation at the supplier's own expense
at police headquarters in the City of Brigantine of a Varitech security
burglar and fire receiving system (hereinafter "system"), to be equipped
to receive burglar and fire alarm service for direct wire digital
receivers from the supplier's private subscribers to Brigantine police
headquarters. Said contract shall set forth the charges to be paid
to the City of Brigantine by the supplier's individual subscriber
for installation into the system and maintenance of that installation.
In addition, the contract shall further provide for the schedule of
fees to be charged by the supplier to its individual subscribers.
Nevertheless, no fees or other charges shall be paid by the supplier
to the City of Brigantine for placement of the system in Brigantine
police headquarters. Said contract shall further require the supplier
to indemnify the City of Brigantine against any loss, including reasonable
attorney's fees, which the City of Brigantine may incur as a consequence
of the failure of the supplier to fulfill the terms of its contract
with the City of Brigantine or any contract which the supplier may
have with its individual subscriber, and the contract shall further
require the supplier to post a bond or other security in an amount
sufficient to guarantee its performance under the terms of that contract.
Prior to execution, such contract shall be approved by resolution
of the Board of Commissioners of the City of Brigantine.
The system to be installed will be and remain
the property of supplier. All alarms connected to said system will
operate in a uniform manner and in accordance with the manufacturer's
specification so that the system can be efficiently monitored by the
Brigantine Police Dispatcher. The supplier shall install and maintain
the system at its own expense and shall be responsible for the transfer
of all existing connections to the system and shall be further responsible
to make such improvements to the system during the term of the contract
as may be requested by the Chief of Police. Access to the system shall
be available to all alarm companies having permission to operate in
the City of Brigantine.
Any alarm equipment supplier that installs,
maintains or services alarm systems or automatic protection devices
in the City must be approved by and secure a permit from the City
of Brigantine Police Department.
After passage of this article, all owners of
premises within the City of Brigantine equipped with audible alarms
with a timing mechanism must equip that mechanism in such a manner
so that it will disengage the audible alarm after a maximum period
of 15 minutes. Any audible alarms without such a timing mechanism
shall be disconnected by the owner within 60 days from the effective
date of this article.
Automatic direct-keying protecting devices shall
be governed as follows:
A. Automatic protection devices that use the services
of intermediaries (live voice central dispatch) are prohibited from
using any primary or secondary phone lines at the City of Brigantine
Police Department. It is the intent of this section to have all alarms,
leased lines, digital communicators and others connected to the system
at the Police Department.
B. After the effective date of this article, it shall
be unlawful to transmit alarms to the Brigantine Police Department
through live-voice central dispatch from private alarm companies and
live voice through any other intermediaries. All such alarms shall
be transmitted by connection to the system to be installed within
the City of Brigantine Police Department.
C. The time for transmitting each digital electric or
electronic messages shall not exceed five seconds.
D. Within 60 days from the effective date of this article,
existing automatic protection devices in the City shall be disconnected
from primary and secondary phone lines at the expense of the owner
or lessee of the premises in which such device is located.
Repair service for automatic protection devices
and alarms systems shall be governed as follows:
A. Each alarm equipment supplier who sells or leases
an automatic protection device which is keyed to a designated phone
line or who sells, installs or leases an alarm system in the City
of Brigantine shall make service available on a twenty-four-hour-per-day
basis, seven days a week, to repair such device or system or to correct
any malfunction that may occur.
B. At the time of installation, the alarm equipment supplier
shall furnish to its private subscriber written information as to
how service may be obtained at any time, including the telephone number
of the alarm equipment supplier or agent responsible for service.
The supplier and the owner or lessee of the premises in which the
alarm equipment is located shall be responsible for having such equipment
repaired or disconnected as quickly as possible after notice that
the automatic protection device is not functioning properly.
When messages or alarms evidencing failure to
comply with the operational requirements set forth are received by
the Police or Fire Department and the Chief of Police concludes that
the automatic protection device or alarm system sending such messages
or alarms should be disconnected in order to relieve the particular
department of the burden of responding to false alarms, he is authorized
to demand that the supplier or the owner or lessee of the premises
in which the device is located disconnect the device until it is made
to comply with this operational requirement. If disconnection of the
detective device is not accomplished promptly, the Chief of Police
may then disconnect the device from the system upon notice to the
owner or lessee of the premises in which the device is located.
For the purpose of defraying the cost to the
City of Brigantine of responding to a false alarm, the owner or lessee
of the premises in which such device is located shall, as a condition
to installation and operation of such equipment, execute a consent
in such form as may be prescribed by the Chief of Police, that such
owner or lessee shall be permitted five false alarms in each calendar
year, after which such owner or lessee shall pay to the City of Brigantine
$25 for such subsequent false alarm originating from his premises.
This sum shall constitute a civil claim by the City apart from any
penalty provisions hereunder. Any such owner or lessee shall execute
such consent prior to connection to the system.
[Amended 12-28-1992 by Ord. No. 28-1992]
A. Failure of any person to comply with the requirements
of written notice of violation of any provision of this article within
three days of receipt of such notice, exclusive of Saturdays, Sundays
and legal holidays, shall, upon conviction, be punished by a fine
of not more than $1,000 or by imprisonment for not more than 90 days,
or both. Each day's failure to comply with such provision shall constitute
a separate violation.
B. Any person found guilty of misuse, false activation
or continual activation shall, upon conviction, be punished by a fine
of not more than $1,000 or by imprisonment for not more than 90 days,
or both.
[Adopted 5-19-1998 by Ord. No. 6-1998]
All properties within the City of Brigantine
which have an automatic or manual fire alarm system or an automatic
or manual fire suppression system shall hereinafter be equipped with
a key box. Further, the Chief of the Fire Department or his designee
may require other properties to install a key box if such key box
will aid the fire-fighting capability of the Brigantine Fire Department.
Any and all key boxes erected pursuant to this
article shall be of a type approved by Underwriters Laboratory and
shall further be approved by the Fire Chief of the City of Brigantine
or his designee.
Said key boxes shall be located at the properties
where they are so required in a manner which will allow easy access
by the City of Brigantine Fire Department, and said location must
be approved by the Fire Chief of the City of Brigantine or his designee
prior to any installation of said key box.
All such key boxes shall contain, at a minimum,
the following, as applicable:
A. Keys to any and all locked points of ingress or egress
whether on the interior or exterior of any property.
B. Keys to any locked mechanical equipment rooms within
or on said property.
C. Keys to any locked electrical rooms within or on said
property.
D. Keys to all elevator controls and control units.
E. Keys to such other areas as directed by the Fire Chief
of the City of Brigantine or his designee and for which gaining access
will be a benefit in the efforts of the City of Brigantine Fire Department
in fighting fires or other hazards.
One- and two-family residential dwellings shall
be specifically exempted from the requirements of this article.
All existing properties which are required to
erect a key box pursuant to this article shall have the same approved
and erected in not less than six months from the effective date of
this article. All newly constructed buildings which would require
a key box to be erected pursuant to this article shall comply prior
to the issuance of any certificate of occupancy (CO).
Said key boxes shall be maintained so that entry
upon the same may be easily gained by the City of Brigantine Fire
Department and representatives thereof. Further, said key boxes are
to be maintained in a neat, clean and well maintained condition.
The property owner shall be strictly responsible
for any and all keys missing from said key box, and the City of Brigantine,
its agents, representatives and employees, including members of the
City of Brigantine Fire Department, are specifically indemnified and
held harmless regarding any such missing keys.
Any owner/occupant of a property which is in
violation of this article, after receiving written notice from the
City of Brigantine Fire Department, shall be subject to a fine of
$100 per day for each offense.