Fillmore Municipal Code Ch. 7.25 Fire Alarm Systems

For the purposes of this chapter, unless the context otherwise requires, the following words and phrases have the meanings and construction given in this section.

(1) "Alarm business operator" means the activity of any person who sells, leases, maintains, installs, services, repairs, replaces, alters, removes, moves or monitors a fire alarm system in or on any building, place or premises within the city.

(2) "Alarm signal" means anything perceptible to the senses which could reasonably be interpreted as a communication of the occurrence of a fire or other emergency to which the police or fire department is reasonably expected to respond.

(3) "Alarm user" means any person whose business, place or premises has a fire alarm system, whether or not monitored by a central monitoring system.

(4) "Chief" means the fire chief.

(5) "False alarm" means an alarm signal calling for or prompting an emergency response from the police or fire department, or both, when a situation requiring such a response does not in fact exist, but does not include an alarm signal caused by violent natural conditions or other extraordinary circumstances which would activate an alarm system in reasonably good working condition.

(6) "Fire alarm system" means any device designed to detect or signal, or both detect and signal, the occurrence of a fire or other emergency to which the fire department is reasonably expected to respond.

(Ord. 606 § 1 (part), 1988)

This chapter does not apply to:

(1) A smoke or heat detector in any residential unit, not connected to a central monitoring system; or to

(2) An alarm system affixed to a motor vehicle, not connected to a central monitoring system.

(Ord. 606 § 1 (part), 1988)

Any alarm system sold within the city shall utilize approved Underwriters' Laboratories-rated protection equipment.

(Ord. 606 § 1 (part), 1988)

No alarm user or alarm business shall give, signal, transmit, or cause or permit to be given, signaled or transmitted, a false alarm.

(Ord. 606 § 1 (part), 1988)

(a) Upon finding a false alarm, pursuant to an investigation, the chief shall notify the alarm user and the alarm business operator of the false alarm.

(b) Within three days after receiving such notice, the alarm user and the alarm business shall file a written report with the chief containing all information regarding the source and cause of the false alarm and any planned corrective action and the intended date for correction.

(c) If a fire alarm system continues to emit an alarm signal for longer than thirty minutes, the chief may, after reasonable efforts to contact the alarm user or the alarm business operator that monitors such alarm system, cause such alarm system to be disconnected. The alarm user or alarm business operator shall pay the cost of such disconnection.

(Ord. 606 § 1 (part), 1988)

The alarm user or alarm business operator responsible for a false alarm or whose alarm system sends such alarm shall be penalized for each false alarm according to the following schedule:

The base assessment shall be a cash sum fixed from time to time by resolution of the council. Any cash penalty provided for in this section shall be due and payable five days after written demand by the chief, unless within that time the alarm user or alarm business operator applies to the city clerk in writing for a hearing of the matter by the council. If such application is made, the council shall hear the matter at its next regular meeting or the regular meeting following, and the council's determination shall be final.

(Ord. 606 § 1 (part), 1988)