St. Helena Municipal Code Art. 2 Fire Alarm Systems

As used in this article, the following words and terms shall have the following meanings:

“Alarm system” means a fire alarm system as defined below.

“Automatic telephone digital alarm communicator system” means an alarm system which automatically sends a coded signal over regular telephone lines by direct connection or otherwise, indicating the existence of the emergency situation that the alarm system is designed to detect.

“Enforcement official” means the fire chief or his or her designated representative.

“False fire alarm” means the activation of any alarm which results in the response of the fire department caused by the negligence or intentional misuse of the system by the owner or his or her employees, servants or agents; or any other activation not caused by heat, smoke or fire, exclusive of a fire alarm malfunction as defined below. An alarm is not considered a false fire alarm if the alarm is activated due to malicious causes beyond the control of the owner.

“Fee” means the assessment of a monetary charge payable to the city, authorized pursuant to this article, to defray the expenses of responding to a false alarm or alarm malfunction.

“Fire alarm malfunction” means the activation of any alarm which results in the response of the fire department caused by mechanical failure, malfunction, improper installation, or lack of proper maintenance or any other responses for which the fire department personnel are unable to gain access to the premises for any reason, or are unable to determine the apparent cause of the alarm activation.

“Fire alarm system” means any mechanical, electrical or radio-controlled device which is designed to emit a sound and/or transmit a signal or message when activated because of smoke, heat or fire. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, alarm systems shall be deemed to include audible alarms at the site of the installation of the detection device, proprietor alarms and automatic telephone digital alarm communicator systems. A single station (residential) smoke detector shall not be deemed to be an alarm system under this article.

“Fire alarm technician” means any person who inspects, installs, repairs or performs maintenance on fire alarm system.

“Owner” means any person or entity who owns the premises in which an alarm system is installed or the person or persons who lease, operate, occupy or manage the premises.

“Premises” means any building, structure or combination of buildings and structures wherein an alarm system is installed.

“Required operative alarm system” means an alarm system that the owner of a premises is required to maintain in an operative condition pursuant to statute, law, ordinance, rule or regulation of any governmental entity.

“Serve” means hand-delivery by a representative of the fire department to the owner or authorized representative who responded to the premises. In the event the owner or authorized representative fails to respond to the premises within thirty (30) minutes, “serve” shall mean placing the form or other matter in the United States mail, postage prepaid, addressed to the owner or authorized representative.

“Single-station (residential) smoke detector” means an assembly incorporating the detector, control equipment and alarm-sounding device in one unit operated from a power supply either in the unit, or obtained at the point of installation.

“Smoke detector” means a device which detects the visible or invisible particles of combustion. (Ord. 00-10 § 2; prior code § 20.30)

A. Required. Within ninety (90) days after the effective date of this article, every fire alarm system user shall obtain from the fire chief an alarm user permit for each alarm system he or she operates within the city.

• B. Application. The alarm user applying for the permit required in subsection A of this section shall state on a permit application form:

  1. The name(s), address, business and home telephone number of the owner, lessee, operator, manager or person in possession of the premises wherein the alarm system is installed;

  2. The name, address and telephone number of a minimum of two persons who can be notified by the enforcement official in the event of the activation of the alarm system, who shall be capable of responding to the premises within thirty (30) minutes and who are authorized to enter the premises to ascertain the status thereof;

  3. The name, address and telephone number of the company contracted to service the alarm system;

  4. The name, address and telephone number of the business and/or property insurance carrier;

  5. Alarm silence code or information.

C. Notification of Change. When any of the information has changed, the owner shall report it to the enforcement official within fifteen (15) days of such change.

• D. Fees. Permit fees shall be established by resolution of the city council. (Ord. 00-10 § 2; prior code § 20.31)

Each alarm user shall obtain and provide to his or her employees accurate and complete instruction from the alarm company in the proper use and operation of such system. Specific emphasis shall be placed on the avoidance of false alarms. (Ord. 00-10 § 2; prior code § 20.32)

The alarm business, alarm agent, user, or permittee shall notify the police dispatcher of the city prior to any service, test, repair, maintenance adjustment or installation which might activate a false alarm on a particular alarm system. The police dispatcher shall notify the fire chief or duty officer. No subsequent recording of a false alarm for the purpose of charge for a police response shall occur if the police dispatcher has been appropriately notified of the repair period. (Ord. 00-10 § 2; prior code § 20.33)

A. Owner Response. The responsibility for a fire alarm activation shall be that of the owner of the premises in which the fire alarm system is installed. A response to an alarm activation shall result when any officer or member of the fire department is dispatched to the premises where the alarm has been activated or learns of the activation of the alarm system(s), by any means whatsoever, and responds thereto by traveling to that premises. After responding to an alarm activation, the enforcement official shall notify any person identified in the notice required pursuant to Section 8.16.290(B) of the activation of the alarm system and such person shall thereupon travel to the premises to ascertain the status thereof. Should the person notified fail to appear at the premises within thirty (30) minutes after being notified to do so, the city shall charge the owner of the premises a fee of seventy-five dollars ($75.00).

B. Affidavit of Service/Repair. In the event of a fire alarm activation deemed by the enforcement official to be the result of a fire alarm malfunction, the owner will be served a fire alarm activation report by the fire marshal, indicating that the activation was deemed to be the result of a fire alarm malfunction. The owner shall return a completed affidavit of service/repair within fifteen (15) days of such alarm activation which evidences that the fire alarm system in question has actually been examined by a fire alarm technician and that a bonafide attempt has been made to identify and correct any defect of design, installation or operation of the fire alarm system which was identifiable as the cause of the fire alarm malfunction. Failure to return such an affidavit of service/repair within the fifteen (15) day period will result in assessment against the owner of a fine of five hundred dollars ($500.00) for the fire alarm malfunction. (Ord. 00-10 § 2; prior code § 20.34)

No fee shall be assessed for the first three false fire alarms at the same premises responded to by the fire department during each calendar year. Thereafter, the owner shall pay such charges as assessed by the city for false alarms. Such charges shall be established by resolution of the city council. (Ord. 00-10 § 2; prior code § 20.35)

The provisions of this article shall not apply to any newly installed alarm system for a period of thirty (30) days from the date of the installation of that alarm system, but shall apply from and after the expiration of the initial thirty (30) day period following installation. (Ord. 00-10 § 2; prior code § 20.36)

The city, its officers, employees, and agents, shall not assume any duty or responsibility for the installation, maintenance, operation, repair or effectiveness of any privately owned alarm system, those duties or responsibilities being solely those of the owner of the premises. Additionally, it shall be the responsibility of the owner of the premises to silence an activated alarm and thereafter reset same. (Ord. 00-10 § 2; prior code § 20.37)