This chapter shall be known as "The West Brandywine Township Automatic
Protection Device Ordinance."
Definitions of terms used in the Code of the Township of West Brandywine are set forth in Chapter
1, General Provisions, Article
III, Terminology.
It is permissible for owners or lessees of automatic protection devices
to key alarms to a telephone or radio which is available to them or to a private
agency so long as they register with the Chief of Police and comply with Township
regulations, set forth in this chapter.
Automatic protection devices installed in the Township that are keyed
to the Chester County Department of Emergency Services shall meet the following
requirements:
A. The type and content of recorded messages must be intelligible
and in a format approved, prior to the installation, by the Chief of Police.
B. No more that one call shall be made to the Chester County
Department of Emergency Services as a result of a single activation of the
automatic protection device.
C. The time for transmitting each recorded message shall
not exceed 15 seconds.
D. Recorded messages may be repeated during one call, but
the interval between each recorded message shall be no less than eight seconds
nor more than 12 seconds.
E. The sensory mechanism used in connection with an automatic
protection device must be adjusted to suppress false indications of fire or
intrusion, so that the device will not be actuated by impulses due to fleeting
pressure changes in water pipes, short flashes of light, the rattling or vibrations
of doors and windows, vibrations to the premises caused by the passing of
vehicles or any other force not related to genuine alarms.
F. All components comprising such a device must be maintained
by the owner or lessee in good repair to assure maximum reliability of operation.
When messages evidencing failure to comply with the operational requirements set forth in §
53-8 are received by the Township and the Township concludes that the automatic protection device sending such messages should be disconnected in order to relieve the Township Police Department of the burden of responding to false alarms, it is authorized to demand that the owner or lessee of the device, or his representative disconnect the device until it is made to comply with the operational requirements.
Automatic protection device suppliers must conform to the requirements
contained in the National Electrical Code as it pertains to inspections and
tests.
For the purpose of enforcing this chapter and as a condition to installing
and maintaining an automatic protection device, the owner or lessee thereof
shall execute a consent in such form as may be prescribed by the Township,
which will authorize the Police Chief and/or Township Fire Marshal to enter
upon a lessee's or owner's premises within the Township at such
reasonable times and upon reasonable notice, to inspect the installation and
operation of an automatic protection device.
No person shall conduct any tests or demonstrations of an automatic
protection device without first obtaining permission from the Township. Where
the equipment is not keyed to the Chester County Department of Emergency Services,
no such permission is necessary.
Automatic protection device suppliers and installers shall furnish at
or prior to the time of contracting, and at their expense, a copy of this
chapter to owners, lessees, or users of the equipment or services to be supplied.
[Amended 2-6-1997 by Ord. No. 97-01]
Any person who violates or permits a violation of this chapter shall, upon conviction in a summary proceeding brought before a District Justice under the Pennsylvania Rules of Criminal Procedure, be guilty of a summary offense and punishable by a fine of not more than $1,000, plus costs of prosecution. In default of payment thereof, the defendant may be sentenced to imprisonment for a term not exceeding 90 days. Every day that a violation of this chapter, §
53-17A, continues shall constitute a separate offense.