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Union City, TN, Enacts New Alarm Ordinance

klehan — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 12:41:00 GMT

The Union City, TN, City Council voted on second and final reading to replace the existing ordinance setting fire alarm fees.

The ordinance new sets a $25 fine to residents or business owners who have a third or more false fire alarm within a 12-month period. The changes also call for all alarm systems to be registered with the city and a $25 fine for the owners who do not register them. There is no fee to register the alarm systems.

New Haven, CT, May Toughen Alarm Law, Require Installer Registration

klehan — Fri, 10 Jul 2009 12:37:00 GMT

The New Haven, CT, Board of Aldermen’s Public Safety Committee heard police Neighborhood Services Officer Joe Avery’s testimony at City Hall Wednesday evening as it considered a proposed hike in fines the police department hopes will cut New Haven’s false alarms in half.

The city has had false-alarm fines on the books since 2004 — $45 for a fourth offense and $75 after that. But it has collected just $31 since 2006 due to software that “blew up,” taking all of the department’s alarm registrations with it.

Now, Avery said, the department is armed with new software to replace the nearly 30-year-old original. It is ready and able to collect fines the new ordinance would set at $75 for the second offense, $150 for a third offense, and $250 for each additional false alarm.

“This particular alarm ordinance has a little more bite to it,” Avery said. “What we’re doing is making it mandatory for people to get their alarms fixed. In the past, nobody got their alarms fixed and nobody cared much because half the time they got fined and half the time they didn’t.”

Near the top of the list of alarm delinquents, he said, are a number of banks, large businesses and even city buildings that have each racked up as many as 30-40 false alarms per year.

“The Board of Ed was a big problem at one time,” Avery said, “but not anymore. The library downtown goes off, but all we can do is work with them to make it better.”

Despite the higher fines, city Chief Administrative Officer Robert Smuts said the city’s main goal is reducing false alarms, not fining residents and businesses. The $75 second-offense fine, he said, would be waived if the ticketed alarm owner attends a free class on how to reduce false alarms.

“This is not going to be a revenue stream,” he said. “We don’t expect to make money on this.”

The new alarm ordinance would also create new rules for alarm companies, which would be required to register with the city and file lists of their customers with the police department. Companies would not be charged any licensing fees. Still, alarm industry representatives Robert McVeigh and Carl E. Spiegel took issue with the registration requirement, arguing that it violates a state law that bars cities and towns from imposing separate licenses on alarm installers.

“Somebody failing to register would not be permitted to work,” Spiegel said, “and if they’re not permitted to work the city is in violation of the state statute. It’s that simple.”

Corporation Counsel Victor Bolden maintained registration would merely allow the city to check to make sure companies operating in New Haven have the proper state license. Spiegel insisted state law does not allow for that kind of scrutiny.

“I’m telling you there’s a state law that says you can’t do what you plan to do,” he said.

Committee chairman Alexander Rhodeen, Ward 13, and the four other aldermen present insisted the registration requirement would not be a burden to alarm companies with the proper permit. They called it essential to prevent unlicensed companies from escaping accountability.

“I’m not an attorney, but it sounds as if we’re heading down the path of ‘We can break the law and you can’t catch us, so why even bother checking,’” Rhodeen said. “The requirement is pretty basic, and so I’m not swayed by an argument that says you could be doing lots of illegal things and we wouldn’t know.”

For now, however, the committee tabled the new ordinance. Rhodeen urged Bolden to come to next month’s meeting with clarifications of the state law.

“My feeling is that given the time that has gone into this, we want to get it correct,” Rhodeen said.

If the ordinance clears the committee in August, it could come before the full Board of Aldermen in September. If it passes, Avery said, the new fines would go into effect within 90 days. The city would begin contacting alarm company customers — roughly 30 percent of New Haven residents — to re-register their alarms with police.

The decline in alarm dispatches, he said, could have a noticeable effect on the level of service the police department is able to provide.

“I think it’s going to decrease police response times to a lot of different crimes,” he said. “When you have two officers at a time tied up on a false alarm call waiting for someone to come check their door, and there’s a gunshot down the street, those officers can’t leave, especially if it’s an unsecured house, so reducing those alarms would have great benefits.”

Wichita, KS, Alters Alarm Ordinance

klehan — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 15:26:00 GMT

Wichita, KS, City Council members altered a plan to charge people with monitored alarm services $3 a month and businesses $9 a month.

Instead, they are poised to charge $1 a month to residents, perhaps $2 or $2.50 to businesses and $9 to high-rise buildings, which require several fire engines for even minor alarms.

There are an estimated 32,000 licensed alarm systems in the city.

Without fees of some type, Fire Chief Ron Blackwell said, the city may have to cut one fire engine and five squad trucks, which would almost certainly reduce response times to emergencies.

Currently, everyone gets one false alarm free. After that, the city bills $40 for each unnecessary call, though City Manager Robert Layton said the city hasn't collected recently because of data glitches between city and Sedgwick County systems.

The new plan would increase the false alarm fee with each incident, though no numbers were specified.

Layton said many other cities have similar sliding scales for false alarms.

Council members hope that will entice those with security systems to arm them more carefully to reduce false alarms.

Mayor Carl Brewer said none of the proposed cuts — including the elimination of 101 city jobs, or 3 percent, many through attrition — is attractive.

"We're not going to get everything we want and we're not going to be able to make everyone happy," he said. "This isn't easy, but every household in the city is going through this same thing."

River Forrest, IL, Board Rejects Permitting of Alarm Systems

klehan — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 15:12:00 GMT

There was little support Monday night among River Forest, IL, village trustees to impose a permit fee for burglar alarms at village homes and businesses.

River Forest Police Chief Frank Limon Monday night suggested the permit fee and a fine for excessive false alarms at homes and businesses. Limon suggested the fee and fine to try to recover the costs incurred by the department for false alarms.

Limon suggested a $50 initial permit fee along with a $25 annual renewal fee to help defray data entry costs to the village. He also suggested a $50 fine for homes or businesses with four or more false alarms to reduce their incidence.

If put in place in 2008, according to information Limon provided to trustees, the $50 false alarm fine would have recovered about $15,000 for the department.

"About 18 percent of our alarm users were responsible for nearly 50 percent of our activations," Limon said.

Each alarm requires two squad cars to respond, Limon said. Officers remain on the scene for 20 to 30 minutes making sure all is secure. That's half the force on the street during the day, Limon said, two-thirds late at night.

"Keep in mind that most of them are false and unfounded calls," Limon said. "Add the fire department to those types of calls, and you're also looking at additional resources that are really being wasted going to those calls."

But there was not much appetite among trustees to impose a permit fee or fine. Trustee Catherine Adduci said she was concerned the fee was more punitive than necessary. A fee could be a disincentive for residents to purchase an alarm system, she said.

"I understand it's a revenue enhancer, but I'm not sure it's a good one," she said.

Trustee Michael Gibbs was concerned people would choose to instead deactivate their alarm systems. Perhaps the village should have something in place for people who have five or more false alarms in a year, he said, but fining people because of false alarms was not agreeable.

Having an alarm activate and knowing the police will come on the scene is comforting to residents, Village President John Rigas said. There was a crime spree through town several years ago, and residents were concerned about their safety.

Rigas said he understood such fees were common in other towns, but he was not more supportive of the idea.

"I understand it takes police officers off the street doing one thing or another," Rigas said. "But there's nothing more comforting than the response you get with that."

Omaha, NE, May Fine for False Alarms

klehan — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 15:07:00 GMT

Omaha Mayor Jim Suttle will introduce a false fire alarm fee, eliminate support for the city's convention and visitor's bureau and increase parking fees to help balance the city's 2009 budget.

Suttle announced the changes at a news conference Wednesday. But those measures will only cover part of the predicted $5 million shortfall in 2009 and an $11 million shortfall in 2010.

Suttle says the city should be able to cover a little more than $1 million of the shortfall with the changes he announced.

But Suttle says the city will have to consider a tax increase this year if its labor unions won't agree to a freeze on wages.

Issaquah, WA, Officials Consider False Alarm Ordinance

klehan — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 14:57:00 GMT

Home and business owners in Issaquah, WA, who cry wolf could face fines under a false alarm ordinance being considered by city officials. The proposed legislation would require alarm users to pay to register the devices as part of the effort to cut the number of false alarms.

Police Chief Paul Ayers addressed concerns with the proposal when he presented the legislation to the Council Services & Operations Committee June 18. The full council could consider the proposed ordinance as early as next month.

Another measure will go the council alongside the proposal — a contract with a Colorado Springs, Colo., company, ATB Services, to manage the ordinance. ATB employees work with alarm providers to include the permit fee in customers’ bills. Ayers said the company provides similar service for Olympia and Lakewood.

Ayers said a two-year permit would cost $24, and $12 for senior citizens and disabled people. For alarm users without a false alarm during the two-year period, the renewal fee would be waived. Violators would be fined.

Patrol Cmdr. Scott Behrbaum said ATB has a relationship with the major alarm providers.

When Ayers presented the proposal to the Services & Operations Committee in February, members raised questions about whether the ordinance would limit officers from responding to legitimate calls.

At the February meeting, Ayers said alarms deter criminals, but the devices do not always help officers nab criminals. Only a few arrests resulted from the hundreds of burglary alarms officers responded to last year.

“As we’ve presented this in the past, the only concern that came up was about touching bases with the business people,” Ayers said.

He presented the bill to Greater Issaquah Chamber of Commerce Government Affairs Committee on March 5. The committee later endorsed the proposed ordinance.

Services & Operations Committee members discussed the proposal in February and April. Ayers has said the bill aims to cut wasted dollars and effort by police officers.

Ayers said businesses are the most frequent false-alarm offenders. He attributed the disparity to employee turnover and employees who accidentally trip panic alarms. Of the false alarm alerts received by police last year, 54 percent originated at businesses while 46 percent came from residences. Officials said police responses to the calls wastes thousands of dollars and hours of manpower each year.

Behrbaum said in the worst case last year, officers responded to 16 false alarm calls from the same business.

Several Washington cities have enacted false alarm ordinances, including Kirkland and Redmond on the Eastside. The ordinances led to a dramatic drop in the number of false alarm calls received by first responders, according to police and fire figures.

When the Redmond ordinance went into effect in January 2000, false alarm calls to the Redmond Fire Department dropped to 1,687 from 2,476 calls the previous year.

Services & Operations Committee members endorsed the proposal, saying the measure would free up officers for more important tasks. Councilman Fred Butler, an alternate Services & Operations Committee member, said outreach to alarm users would be another way to cut the numbers of false alarm alerts.

Carrollton, TX, Now Requires Enhanced Call Verification

klehan — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 14:52:00 GMT

The North Texas Alarm Association reports that on Tuesday, June 6, the Carrollton, TX, City Council unanimously approved changes to the City's alarm ordinance. According to a statement from the North Texas Alarm Association, the changes related to false alarms reduction methods mirror the recent changes enacted from SB0568 affecting Chapter 214, subchapter F, Local Government Code. The adopted changes to the Alarm ordinance are effective immediately (starting June 7, 2006).

Dealers and monitoring companies are suggested to verify that their monitoring station personal (or contract station) is utilizing enhanced call verification (ECV is a form of two-call verification) on all alarms in the city of Carrollton. Also of note is that Carrollton requires all alarm systems to be permitted, but the city does not have a no-permit, no-response policy. However, the alarm users must have an alarm permit or they will be subject to fines under city ordinance (that policy has been in effect since 1984).

Fines have also been put in place to charge frequent sources of false alarms, starting with $50 for the fourth and fifth false alarms, then rising to $75 and then to $100.

"I think the Carrollton Police Department did a great job in making changes to the benefit everyone," said Chris Russell, of the North Texas Alarm Assocaition. "They openly communicated with us for months and provided us numerous opportunities for feedback and input. Their adoption of ECV as defined in the TBFAA model ordinance should allow for the most seamless and effective migration of ECV for alarm monitoring personal while reducing false alarms and assisting our customers in further false alarm reductions."

The City of Carrollton website lists a phone number of (972) 466-3525 for ordinance questions.

Lady Lake, FL, Enacts New Alarm Ordinance

klehan — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 14:49:00 GMT

Burglary alarms are going off in rising numbers in Lady Lake, and a lot of those are false alarms.

Lady Lake, FL, town commissioners voted 5-0 this week to implement an ordinance to address bogus beeps and rings, by setting a $50 fine for false alarms that police respond to.

The ordinance only applies to businesses and churches, which the police chief said account for at least 75 percent of alarms in the town.

However, owners and lessees of the structures do get some reprieve. They are allotted four false alarms within a calendar year, with the $50 fine being leveled on the fifth and subsequent false alarms.

Police Chief Ed Nathanson said law enforcement officers deal with alarms on a daily basis, and each one must be treated as if it were valid.

"Aside from being time consuming and tying up responding officers, it is also an area that creates a liability for the town and community alike," the chief said. "The ever increasing number of false alarms simply had to be addressed in a proactive endeavor to curtail them."

The town also will level a $50 fine if someone fails to show up to the structure to shut off the alarm within 30 minutes of being notified by police.

The ordinance passed Monday after a second reading. Initially, the fine was $75 for each false alarm after the first one.

Defendants can appeal the decision. A magistrate can waive the fine upon request in instances such a lightning, power lines or any "good cause" that might have resulted in a false alarm.

Nathanson said the new ordinance should not make businesses more reluctant to install alarm systems.

"Not if they are professional and responsible," he said.

NY State House Approvesd Carbon Monoxide Bill

klehan — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 14:42:00 GMT

A bill named for a teen who died of carbon monoxide poisoning earlier this year has been approved by the New York State Assembly.

"Amanda's Law" would require all homes in New York State to have require contractors when replacing a hot water tank or furnace to install a carbon monoxide detector.

Amanda Hansen, 16, of West Seneca was found unconscious at a friend's house in January. Police later determined she had been exposed to lethal levels of carbon monoxide in the home's basement, where she and the friend were having a sleepover. She later died at South Buffalo Mercy Hospital.

Assemblyman Mark Schroeder introduced Amanda's Law to legislators on Thursday.

"This is a major step in protecting all New Yorkers from the dangers of carbon monoxide. This silent killer can't be seen or smelled - that is why it is so important that all homes in New York have a carbon monoxide detector," a statement from Schroeder said.

The bill will now be introduced to the state senate for approval.

Gainesville, FL, Has New Fire Alarm Ordinance

klehan — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 14:35:00 GMT

Gainesville, Fla., is turning to a new fire ordinance in October to help slow down the high number of false alarms to which the city' fire department has been responding.

The new ordinance goes into effect on Oct. 1, 2005, and will assess fines for repeated false alarms.

The ordinance allows one false alarm a year for permitted systems, and then proceeds into a fee structure for ensuing false calls, starting with $25 and moving to as high as $400 per false alarm. Permitting of a fire alarm system costs $15 per year.

The city has had a similar ordinance for burglar alarms since 2000.

According to a report in The (Gainesville, Fla.) Alligator newspaper, the city's fire and rescue department was facing approximately 1,400 false fire alarms each year, with a cost to the department of approximately $370,000.

Pittsburgh, PA, Considers Revising Alarm Ordinance

klehan — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 14:31:00 GMT

Pittsburgh, PA, commissioners are considering an alarm ordinance that would carry an annual fee for residences and businesses with alarm systems.

The ordinance would augment a 2003 ordinance that requires start-up alarm fees of $25 for residential security systems, $50 for residential fire systems and $100 for commercial and multifamily properties.

Under the proposed legislation, the start-up fees would remain, but an annual $35 fee would be assessed, too. Officials say the new fee is necessary to keep up with administrative costs as well as provide updated property owner and contact information.

Commissioner Jean O'Toole opposed enacting a new fee.

Batavia, IL, Toughens Alarm Ordinance

klehan — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 14:24:00 GMT

Automatic alarm scofflaws in Batavia, IL, should prepare for penalties or have their security systems repaired.

The Batavia Police Department and Batavia Fire Department have prepared a proposed ordinance that would assess fines ranging from $50 to $300.

Some aldermen would like to see stiffer fines for chronic cases involving commercial or residential property owners who fail to heed the warnings and maintain their security systems.

"Nobody cares about $50," Alderman Cathy Barnard said, suggesting the fines should be increased.

Deputy Police Chief Gregory Thrun and Fire Marshal Tom Springer on Tuesday presented details of an ordinance before members of the City Services Committee.

Under the proposed ordinance, the departments would waive fines for the first two calls to account for mechanical failure and human error. For a third false alarm in a 12-month span, the departments will issue a $50 fine.

The fourth false alarm would result in a $100 fine. For five to nine false alarms, the fine increases to $200. And for 10 or more false calls, the fine increases to $300.

Thrun said 10 businesses accounted for more than half of the 955 alarms in 2008, with some of them having in excess of 15 to 20 false alarms in a year. The Fire Department responded to 546 fire-oriented alarms in 2008, with more than a dozen businesses having repeated false alarms.

Thrun said the cost of manpower being taken away from more productive duties and responsibilities, along with the cost of equipment making needless responses, and the potential liability of an accident occurring during the emergency response itself warrant the implementation of an updated ordinance.

The deputy police chief said with the police department's newer records management system alarm module, they'll be able to track and regulate alarm responses by police units and forward the information to the city's Finance Department. The fire department uses a computer software program which will process their alarm responses.

"This will help reduce the needless response to false alarms," Thrun said.

The city has had an alarm ordinance on the books since 1972, with the last revision more than 20 years ago. Thrun said the frequency of false alarms has become apparent with the affordability of security systems.

The committee did increase the fifth false alarm to $200 to give property owners incentive to have the security alarm system repaired and maintained.

The proposed ordinance will be presented to the City Council.

"It is sending a message that we want the systems maintained because it is costing everyone," Volk said. "Let's review it in a year, and if there aren't fewer repeated (offenses), let's bump up the fines," he said.

Maine Govenor Signs Carbon Monoxide Bill

klehan — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 14:08:00 GMT

Maine Gov. John Baldacci today ceremonially signed a measure intended to cut down on the number of carbon monoxide poisonings in Maine. LD 550 updates a law that governs the placement and testing of smoke and carbon monoxide detectors and clarifies that both types of detectors must be powered by a battery and electricity.

"According to the Maine Center for Disease Control, between 150 and 200 people are hospitalized each year in Maine for carbon monoxide poisoning," Baldacci said at the signing. "This is a piece of legislation that is certain to improve the safety of Maine homes and I am pleased to sign it."

The measure was sponsored by Sen. Bill Diamond, a Cumberland County Democrat. It will take effect 90 days after the Legislature adjourns.

Conroe, TX, Outsources Management of Alarm Compliance Law

klehan — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 13:46:00 GMT

Conroe, TX, council entered into a shared revenue contract with Dallas-based PMAM Corp. to manage all aspects of the city’s automated alarm ordinance.

The city permits a total of 3,402 automated alarms (both residential and commercial). Each permit holder is allowed five false alarms a year. Permit holders are fined $50 for each false alarm above that.

City Finance Director Steve Williams said the company’s False Alarm Management System will increase revenue through more efficient billing procedures. The city also should see better use of police manpower as the number of false alarms drops, he said.

The contract calls for the city to receive 72 percent of any increased revenues, with PMAM receiving the remaining 28 percent. There is no financial commitment required on the city’s behalf, Williams said.

Saginaw Township, MI, to Fine for False Alarms Caused by Fire Maintenance

klehan — Mon, 29 Jun 2009 13:23:00 GMT

Fifty times or so every year in Saginaw Township, Michigan, on-call paid volunteer fire crews hustle to false alarms at businesses, said Fire Chief Jim I. Peterson.

It usually happens when a fire sprinkler company doesn't shut off an alarm or notify emergency authorities in advance of maintenance work or a test, officials said.

"They're just needless runs," Peterson said.

That's about to get a little more costly for those on the receiving end of the fire run.
Saginaw County's largest suburb has imposed a minimum fine of $250 when contractors or service workers fail to turn off or trip alarms and the Fire Department shows up.

"It's preventable," said Assistant Chief Linda Schluchter.

A tenant or an alarm system owner will face a warning on a first violation, a $150 fine the second time and $250 for a third offense.

Schluchter said the township makes a distinction between contractors who frequently work with alarm systems and, for example, group homes or hospitals that are required to carry out annual fire drills but aren't accustomed to notifying the Fire Department beforehand.

"Rather than give them an immediate punishment, we wanted to make sure we give them some consideration," she said.

Peterson had no figures on the typical cost of a false alarm, though a fire engine pumper run can cost about $200 an hour, he said.