[Adopted 11-24-1998 by Ord. No. 98-13 as
Ch. 48, Art. I, of the 1998 Code]
As used in this article, the following terms
shall have the meanings indicated:
The transmission of a signal indicating the presence of an
emergency or hazard requiring attention and to which the Police Department,
Fire Department, Emergency Medical Services or other municipal agency
may be expected to respond.
Any individual or business contracted by an emergency services
registration user to transmit alarms to the Ewing Township Police
Department.
Equipment, device or combination thereof used to signal an
alarm.
Any type of alarm system using telephone lines to transmit
an alarm to the police switchboard or 9-1-1 network using a taped
message to transmit the alarm.
The use of any premises for purposes other than as a residence,
excepting home offices that do not receive client or customer visits.
A number assigned to each emergency services registration
as printed on a decal issued by the Ewing Township Police Department.
The person, firm, partnership, association, corporation,
company or other entity in control of any building, structure or facility
with an alarm system and all persons voluntarily participating in
the Emergency Services Registration Program.
Any alarm causing the response of the Police Department,
Fire Department, Emergency Medical Services or other municipal agency
where a situation requiring the response does not exist.
A.
All alarm systems shall be registered with the Ewing
Township Police Department on the form prescribed by the Police Department.
B.
All persons without alarm systems desiring to register
basic emergency information with the Police Department may so register
on the form prescribed by the Police Department.
C.
Buildings containing more than one alarm system operated
or maintained by separate emergency services registration users shall
register each alarm separately.
D.
No person shall install, operate or maintain any alarm
system unless the alarm system has been registered with the Ewing
Township Police Department.
E.
Each registered emergency services registration user
shall notify the Ewing Township Police Department of any change in
the information provided on the registration form within 10 days of
the change.
F.
Registration of alarm systems on leased premises shall
only be issued upon receipt of written authorization by the owner
of the premises.
G.
An emergency services registration number and registration
decal shall be issued to each registered emergency services registration
user.
H.
The registration decal shall be displayed on the main
entrance to all structures or on a window adjacent to the entrance
of all structures in which a business is located. The registration
decal must be placed in a position where it can be read and understood
by a person standing on the ground.
I.
Registration does not exempt the emergency services
registration user from any requirements of the Uniform Construction
Code, the Ewing Township Code or any other applicable law.
J.
Any residence or business that has an alarm system
and is sold to, leased to or occupied by a person or business other
than the current registered emergency services registration user shall
be required to register with the Ewing Township Police Department
on the form prescribed by the Police Department.
K.
Emergency services registration does not imply that
any registered person will receive preferential treatment or extra
service. Voluntary registration is provided as a courtesy, and the
Township of Ewing does not assume liability for the use of information
contained in the registration during response.
L.
All information provided in the emergency services
registration is confidential and is not a public record. The information
contained in the emergency services registration will not be provided
to anyone other than the registered emergency services user or emergency
services personnel responding to an emergency at the premises.
A.
When reporting an alarm, the emergency services registration
user or the alarm company shall provide the emergency services registration
number to the Ewing Township Police Department.
B.
The emergency services registration user shall notify
the alarm company used of the emergency services registration number
and instruct the alarm company to use the emergency services registration
number when reporting an alarm.
A.
After the occurrence of four or more false alarms
in any twelve-month period and upon written notice from the Ewing
Township Police Department, the emergency services registration user
shall provide a written explanation of the cause(s) of the false alarms
and any corrective action taken. The completion of this report shall
not exempt the emergency services registration user from any of the
penalties hereunder.
B.
New alarm installations shall be given a sixty-day
grace period prior to the imposition of any monetary penalties for
false alarms.
The following penalties assessed to the licensee
shall be payable within 30 days of written notice by the Ewing Township
Police Department, payable to the Township of Ewing:
A.
False alarms (registered alarm systems).
B.
False alarms (unregistered alarm systems).
C.
Failure to register alarm (in addition to false alarm
penalty): $25.
D.
Failure to use emergency services registration number
(per offense): $25.
E.
Improperly displayed registration decal: $25.
F.
Failure to notify Ewing Township Police Department
of alarm test (first offense): $50.
G.
Failure to notify Ewing Township Police Department
of alarm test (subsequent offenses): $100.
Any person testing an alarm system shall notify
the Ewing Township Police Department immediately prior to and after
the test is complete.
A.
The Ewing Township Police Department may direct any person subject to this article to correct a defect in the alarm system. Failure to correct the defect shall render the emergency services registration user subject to the penalties set forth in Chapter 1, General Provisions, Article III, General Penalty, in addition to the penalties under this article.
B.
Any alarm sounding an audible signal shall automatically
shut off the audible signal within 15 minutes of the activation of
the alarm system. Alarms indicating the presence of a fire or carbon
monoxide condition shall be exempt from this requirement.
D.
Alarm company(ies) providing service within the Township
of Ewing shall provide the emergency services registration user with
a written operation manual and provide system training for the emergency
services registration user.
E.
Each emergency services registration user shall make
certain that one or more of the persons listed as contact persons
on the registration form will be available to respond in a timely
manner to provide access to the building or deactivate the alarm.
The Ewing Township Police Department may from
time to time promulgate rules and regulations in furtherance of the
administration of this article.
A.
Any municipal, county, state or federal government
agency that is an emergency services registration user shall be exempt
from the fees and penalties provided herein.
B.
This article does not apply to any general alerting
device used by any fire department, emergency medical service or emergency
management to summon a response of its members or to provide an alert.
All information provided in the registration
form(s) shall not be a public record.
