[Adopted 4-15-1991 by Ord. No. 752; amended in its entirety 1-3-2011 by Ord. No.
923]
It is the purpose of this article to promote
and protect the health, safety and general welfare of the City by
providing for the regulation of false alarms from automatic fire alarm
systems which currently reduce the fire-fighting capacity available
for answering legitimate fire calls in the City of Havre de Grace.
For the purpose of this article, the following
terms, phrases, words and their derivations shall have the meaning
given herein. When not inconsistent with the context, words used in
the present tense include the future, words in the plural include
the singular and words in the singular include the plural. The word
"shall" is mandatory and not merely directory.
ALARM SYSTEM:
A.
An automatic alarm system is one that mechanically
or remotely contacts the 911 center to alert an emergency response.
B.
A system of manual fire alarm stations that
produces an audible signal when activated.
ALARM SYSTEM CONTRACTOR
A person who installs, maintains, monitors, alters, or services
alarm systems. This does not include a person who sells or manufactures
alarm systems unless that person installs, maintains, monitors, alters,
or services alarm systems.
ALARM USER
The person who occupies a building, structure, or facility
in which an alarm system is operational.
FALSE ALARM
The activation of an alarm system that causes a response
from the Susquehanna Hose Co., Inc. (SHCO) regardless of the cause
that is not in response to an actual emergency and is not deliberate.
This includes:
A.
A negligently or accidentally activated alarm
signal; and
B.
An alarm signal activated as the result of a
faulty, malfunctioning, or improperly installed, located or maintained
alarm system.
This does not include:
A.
An alarm signal activated by unusually severe
weather conditions or other causes beyond the control of the alarm
system contractor or alarm user; or
B.
An alarm signal activated during the initial
period of 60 calendar days after an alarm system is installed; or
C.
An alarm signal that causes a response from the SHCO that is
not dispatched as an automatic alarm.
PERSON
Any person, firm, partnership association, company, corporation,
or organization of any kind.
When an alarm system is responsible for a false
alarm, the Department of Planning, upon written request from the SHCO,
shall issue a citation for a municipal infraction to the alarm user
if the alarm system has been responsible for two or more false alarms
in the previous twelve-month period.
The municipal infraction penalty for a false
alarm violation shall be a fine of $100 for the second false alarm
within a twelve-month period; $500 for the third false alarm in a
twelve-month period; and $1,000 for each subsequent false alarm in
a twelve-month period. Funds collected hereunder shall be deposited
into a public safety account in the general fund of the City and designated
for the purchase of smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors.
The funds shall only be used to reimburse the SHCO upon proof of the
purchase and distribution of detectors in the City.
An alarm system is defective if it is responsible
for two or more false alarms in a period of 12 months.
The Department of Planning, upon notification
by the Susquehanna Hose Co., Inc., shall provide written notice by
certified mail to the alarm user of a defective alarm system causing
false alarms within one working day.
Upon receiving notice of a defective alarm system,
the alarm user shall:
A. Have the alarm system inspected by an alarm system
contractor within 30 calendar days of receiving the notice; and
B. File a written report with the Department of Planning
within 15 calendar days after the inspection.
The written report submitted to the Department
of Planning shall contain:
A. The result of the inspection;
B. A description of the probable cause of the false alarms;
and
C. A description of all actions taken to prevent future
false alarms.
An alarm system contractor shall notify the
Department of Planning and the Harford County Emergency Operations
Division by telephone prior to servicing an alarm system.
The enforcement of this article shall be the
same as all other ordinances involving municipal infractions. The
enforcement authority granted by this section includes the authority
to bring appropriate actions in the District Court of Maryland.
[Adopted 2-7-2011 by Ord. No. 924]
It is the purpose of this article to promote and protect the
health, safety and general welfare of the City by setting forth the
alarm and detection systems required to be in service in certain buildings
in the City.
For the purpose of this article, the following terms, phrases,
words, and their derivations shall have the meanings given herein.
When not inconsistent with the context, words used in the present
tense include the future, words in the plural include the singular,
and words in the singular include the plural. The word "shall" is
mandatory and not merely directory.
ALARM SYSTEM
An alarm and detection system properly installed: 1) according
to the Maryland State Fire Law currently found in the public safety
article of the Annotated Code of Maryland — Title 9, Subtitle
1, Smoke Detection Systems, and Title 12, Subtitle 11, Carbon Monoxide
Alarms; 2) according to the manufacturer's written instructions;
and 3) pursuant to the most recent version of the applicable NFPA
Standards, including but not limited to 72, 101, and 720, and UL Standards,
including but not limited to 72, 101, and 720, and UL Standards 217
and 2034, that detects smoke or carbon monoxide ("Maryland State Fire
Law").
ALARM USER
The person who occupies a building, structure, or facility
in which an alarm system is required and operational.
In addition to the requirements of the Maryland State Fire law,
landlords shall at the beginning of each tenancy equip their unit
with the required detectors that are operable and in good repair.
New batteries shall be installed by the landlord at the beginning
of each tenancy. Thereafter, the tenant shall be responsible to maintain
the detectors, i.e., change the batteries. Detectors in common areas
that are not separately leased to a tenant remain the responsibility
of the landlord. After receipt of written notice from the tenant by
certified mail, return receipt requested, the landlord shall replace
or repair an inoperable detector with a comparable approved detector.
A tenant may replace an inoperable detector with a comparable operative
one, but may not otherwise remove or render inoperable a detector.
The owners and operators of bed-and-breakfasts, hotels and motels
shall equip their buildings with smoke detectors and carbon monoxide
detectors in the same manner that a landlord of a multifamily dwelling
is required.
In addition to the requirements of the Maryland State Fire Law,
detectors installed retroactively as required by this Code may be
battery operated.
Landlords and owners and operators of bed-and-breakfasts, hotels
and motels shall have an additional 90 days after the effective date
of this article to install the required detectors.