The purpose of this chapter is to establish appropriate guidelines for
the installation of alarm systems for notification of the Town of Topsham's
Police and Fire Departments.
For purposes of this chapter, certain terms or words used herein shall
be interpreted or defined as follows:
ALARM SYSTEM
A system, including any mechanism, equipment or device, designed
to automatically transmit a signal, message or warning from a private facility
to any of the town's public alarm systems, and shall include telephonic
alarm systems designed to operate automatically through the use of public
telephone facilities.
NONEMERGENCY ALARMS
Shall include but not be limited to malfunctioning equipment or improperly
monitored equipment such as to cause false alarms.
ONE-YEAR PERIOD
For purposes of assessing the penalty fee when the alarm system causes
the transmittal of a nonemergency alarm more than three (3) times in a one-year
period, "one-year period" shall mean the period from July 1 to the following
June 30.
The Chief of the concerned Department shall have the sole right to inspect
or cause to be inspected by the system installer any alarm system on premises
where it is intended to function prior to issuance of any permit for operation
of such system, and he may inspect or cause an inspection, by the system installer
or by a qualified individual in alarm systems installation, of such system
to be made at any time after the issuance of a permit to determine whether
it is being used in conformity with the terms of the permit and the provisions
of this chapter. Information related to any alarm system shall be maintained
in a confidential manner, and the release of such information by any member
of a concerned Department shall be a violation of this chapter.
No person shall install, operate or maintain a telephonic alarm system
which automatically transmits a signal message or warning to the town's
Communications Center telephone lines. The telephone number or numbers will
be designated by the permit issued under the provisions of this chapter.
The Chief of the concerned Department may revoke any permit issued pursuant to the provisions of this chapter, after giving written notice to the permit holder and a reasonable opportunity for the permit holder to be heard, if it is determined that the alarm system installed pursuant to said permit has been installed, maintained or operated in violation of the provisions of this chapter or of any term or condition of said permit or for failure to pay any fee specified in §
66-8.
The three (3) following conditions, as outlined in N.F.P.A. 74, pertaining
to household fire warning equipment, should be considered by the installer
when installing an alarm system under the provisions of this chapter:
A. Any residential construction in units with one (1) bedroom
on one (1) floor will require a smoke detector to be located in any hall adjacent
to bedroom or sleeping quarters and one (1) in any basement or cellar. Detectors
will be wired together so one (1) detector, when activated, will sound the
other. The detectors will be hard wire 120V AC.
B. In units with more than one (1) sleeping area, smoke
detectors will be installed to protect each bedroom and one (1) in the basement
or cellar. Detectors will be wired together so one (1) detector, when activated,
will sound the other. The detectors will be hard wire 120V AC.
C. In units two (2) stories above ground level, detectors
will be located in sleeping areas or adjacent hallways on the ground floor
and in the cellar or basement. Detectors will be wired together so one (1)
detector, when activated, will sound the other. The detectors will be hard
wire 120V AC.
Whoever violates any of the provisions of this chapter shall, upon conviction
therefor, be punished by a fine of not more than two hundred dollars ($200.).
The invalidity of any provision of this chapter shall not affect the
validity of any other provision.
The effective date shall be July 1, 1992.