Unless otherwise expressly provided, the following
words shall for the purposes of this chapter have the following meanings:
ALARM SYSTEM
A device or system designed for the detection of an unauthorized
entry or an attempted unauthorized entry on premises or for alerting
others of the commission of an unlawful act, or both, or for the detection
of fire, and which, when actuated, emits sound or light or transmits
a signal or message.
AUDIBLE ALARM
A device or system which causes an alarm to be sounded in
such a manner that it may be heard by a person in or around the premises
from which it is transmitted or received.
AUTOMATIC PROTECTION DEVICE
A device or system which is interconnected to a telephone
line and is programmed to select a predetermined telephone number
and transmit by voice message or code signal an emergency message
indicating a need for emergency service response. For the purposes
of this chapter, an automatic protection device is deemed to be an
alarm system only if its activation directly results in the response
of emergency services.
EMERGENCY SERVICES
Those public services that provide medical assistance, police
protection or fire protection.
FALSE ALARM
A.
The activation of an alarm system or automatic
protection device which indicates the existence of an emergency situation
when, in fact, no such emergency exists.
B.
An alarm that activates during testing, repair
or maintenance if prior notification of the testing, repair or maintenance
is not given to the Township prior to beginning such activity.
C.
The activation of an alarm system or automatic
protection device by natural disasters or severe weather conditions
which are unpreventable activations of the system by the technology
of the system itself are not considered false alarms.
D.
The activation of an automatic protection device
or alarm system which does not directly or indirectly result in the
request for emergency services is not considered a false alarm.
SYSTEM OWNER OR SUBSCRIBER
User, tenant, lessee, agent, employee, resident or other
entity who or which owns or is entitled to possession of any premises
on which an alarm system or automatic protection device has been installed.
TOWNSHIP
The Board of Supervisors of the Township of Allegheny, Westmoreland
County, Pennsylvania.
The Township will provide an information card,
available at the Township office, which, when completed, will make
important information available to emergency services which are required
to respond to alarm system and automatic protection device activations.
In the event a system owner or subscriber fails to complete and file
the information card with the Township, and in the further event that
the system owner's or subscriber's alarm system or automatic protection
device is activated and emergency services respond to the activation
and in the further event that the responding emergency services cannot
find the location of the premises of the system owner or subscriber
whose system has activated, the alarm will be recorded as a false
alarm. The information card is not a permit required for the use of
an alarm system nor shall any fee be charged to the system owner or
subscriber for the completion and filing of the requested information
card.
Any emergency services officer who responds
to a false alarm shall report the same to the Township and to the
Allegheny Township Chief of Police who shall monitor and maintain
records concerning such false alarms.
The Allegheny Township Volunteer Fire Companies'
buildings and offices are hereby exempt from the operation of this
chapter.