[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Trustees of the Village of Lynbrook 12-17-1979 by L.L. No. 11-1979 as Ch. 9, Art. III, of the 1967 Code of Ordinances; amended in its entirety 11-3-1980 by L.L. No. 13-1980. Subsequent amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Fire Prevention Bureau — See Ch. 20.
Electrical standards — See Ch. 112.
Fire prevention — See Ch. 126.
Licenses — See Ch. 153.
The purpose of this chapter is to establish standards and controls for alarm devices that require Fire Department or Police Department response, including such devices already in use within the village.
[Amended 3-2-1998 by L.L. No. 3-1998]
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
ALARM
Any alarm device which automatically dials the emergency telephone number of the police and uses a pretaped or prerecorded message to alert the police that an emergency exists or that the services of that Department are needed. "Alarm system" shall also mean any alarm device which automatically emits an audible, visual or other similar signal, intended to alert persons outside the building to the existence of a hazard or emergency. An "alarm system" as defined in this section shall include fire alarms for the purposes of this chapter and does not include alarm signals transmitted to privately operated central systems.
ALARM USER
Any person, business or entity on whose premises an alarm system is located within the Village of Lynbrook.
CENTRAL ALARM STATION
Any facility operated by a private firm that owns or leases a system of fire or police alarm devices, which facility is manned by operators who receive, record or validate alarm signals and relay information about such validated signals to the Police or Fire Department, when appropriate.
EMERGENCY ALARM
Any fire or police alarm device designed to actuate by a fire, criminal act or other emergency.
FALSE EMERGENCY ALARM
Any signal to which the Police or Fire Department responds and, after an investigation by the Police or Fire Department, has been determined that said signal was not the result of a fire, holdup, robbery or other crime or emergency or the attempt thereof.
FIRE DEPARTMENT HEADQUARTERS
Fire Department headquarters and other enclosures housing privately or publicly owned equipment serving the Fire Department.
INTRUSION
Any entry into an area or building equipped with one or more police alarm device by any person or object whose entry actuates a police alarm device.
POLICE EMERGENCY NUMBER
Any telephone number designated by the Chief of Police as a telephone number through which members of the public may report an emergency or request public assistance.
POLICE HEADQUARTERS
Police headquarters and other enclosures housing privately or publicly owned equipment serving the Police Department.
[Amended 3-2-1998 by L.L. No. 3-1998]
A. 
Every alarm user shall obtain an alarm user permit for each alarm system said user owns, controls or operates within the Village of Lynbrook.
B. 
Applications for alarm user permits shall be filed with the Village Clerk and shall include the following information:
(1) 
Applicant's name.
(2) 
Address of protected premises.
(3) 
Applicant's home and business telephone numbers.
(4) 
The type of emergency the alarm system is designed to detect.
(5) 
The person that sold, installed, responds to and/or maintains the alarm system.
(6) 
The names, addresses and telephone numbers of at least two persons who can be reached at any time to disconnect the system.
C. 
The alarm user shall notify the Village Clerk of any changes in the above information at least two days prior to the change taking effect. Failure to do so shall provide grounds for revocation or suspension of the permit.
D. 
The information contained in the alarm user permit shall be maintained by the Village Clerk and the Lynbrook Police Department.
E. 
Any alarm system user who operates an alarm system without first having obtained an alarm user permit as required herein or after having had a permit suspended or revoked shall be guilty of a violation of this chapter.
[Amended 3-2-1998 by L.L. No. 3-1998]
A. 
More than four false alarms in any twelve-month period from any alarm system for which an alarm user permit has been obtained shall constitute grounds for suspension of the permit.
B. 
The holder of any alarm user permit charged with a false alarm as described herein may appeal the charge in writing to the Board of Trustees within seven days of notification of the charge. False alarm charges may be waived by the Board of Trustees after consideration of the appeal.
C. 
Reinstatement of alarm user permits. In the event that an alarm user permit has been suspended or revoked, the alarm user may have the user permit reinstated by forwarding to the Village Clerk, in writing, verification that the conditions causing such false alarms have been repaired, corrected or otherwise eliminated. Reinstatement shall not affect the false alarm count charged to any alarm user permit during each calendar year.
[Amended 3-5-1984 by L.L. No. 1-1984; 3-2-1998 by L.L. No. 3-1998]
Fees for permits required by this chapter shall be established by resolution of the Board of Trustees.
[1]
Editor's Note: Former § 60-6, Denial, suspension or revocation of license or permit, and § 60-7, Required records, were repealed 3-2-1998 by L.L. No. 3-1998.
A. 
Automatic dialing devices. Automatic dialing devices shall transmit messages only to such telephone number(s) as shall be designated for that purpose by the Chief of Police.
B. 
Delay. Upon the activation of a burglary (break-in) alarm, there shall be a mandatory delay of 30 seconds before the transmission of a signal to the Police Department. This delay shall not be applicable to a robbery (holdup), fire or medical emergency alarm.
C. 
Timing device. The user of every alarm system emitting an audible, visual or other similar signal shall install or cause to be installed an automatic timing device which shall deactivate such alarm that has been activated within 30 minutes or less.
D. 
Limitations of automatic dialing devices. No person shall use, operate or install any device that will, upon activation, automatically dial, call or connect with the telephone number designated by the Chief of Police for the purpose of receiving such alarm messages, more than twice for any one incident.
E. 
(Reserved)[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Former Subsection E, Filing requirements, was repealed 3-2-1998 by L.L. No. 3-1998.
F. 
Intentional false alarm. It shall be a violation of this chapter to intentionally cause a false alarm, and any person who does intentionally cause a false alarm shall be subject to the penalty provisions as set forth in Chapter 1 of the Lynbrook Code and § 240.50 of the New York State Penal Law.
G. 
False emergency alarms. It shall be a violation of this chapter to install, operate or maintain an alarm device or system which emits a false emergency alarm.
[Amended 3-2-1998 by L.L. No. 3-1998]
H. 
Installation and maintenance. The owner or lessee shall be responsible for the maintenance and service of his or its fire or police alarm device equipment and shall be responsible for all malfunctions of his or its equipment.
I. 
Change of location. If the location of police headquarters or Fire Department headquarters should be changed at any time, the village shall not be responsible for any expense incurred by the owner or lessee or business licensee or alarm agent for reconnecting such systems to the relocated police headquarters.
J. 
Removal of unlawful equipment. In addition to any other remedy provided by law, the Chief of Police, whenever he shall have knowledge of the use of any fire or police alarm device which is not operated or maintained in accordance with the provisions of this chapter, may order the removal of same, and it shall be unlawful to disobey such order.
[Amended 3-2-1998 by L.L. No. 3-1998]
K. 
The Board of Trustees, by resolution, is authorized to permit the installation of one fire alarm register in the Village Police Department headquarters. Any private fire alarm system to be connected to the municipal fire alarm system shall be installed in accordance with the provisions of this chapter, the current issue of the National Electrical Code and regulations of the National Board of Fire Underwriters for the installation, maintenance and use of municipal fire alarm systems, and shall be subject to inspection by the municipal and state authorities having jurisdiction.
L. 
Generally. Any privately owned fire alarm box which is to be connected to the main circuit of the municipal fire alarm system shall be the equal of material, workmanship and functional characteristics with other boxes connected to the system. Such boxes may be arranged to be tripped by remote control. The conductors connecting the master box and the remote control shall be installed in accordance with the National Electrical Code.
M. 
Circuits. All circuits used in connection with alarm equipment which are to be connected to the municipal system shall be of the normally closed all-metallic type, and electric current supply shall be of a reliable type and approved for the service.
N. 
Use of cutouts. Where municipal fire alarm circuits are extended into private property, a cutout, similar to those in use on other parts of the municipal system, shall be installed at the point where the extension leaves the main circuit.
O. 
Location of box. Whenever master fire alarm boxes are installed within buildings, they shall be as near the point of entrance of the circuit as possible. In each case a suitable lightning arrestor protector shall be provided at the point of entrance.
P. 
The village shall furnish current for the operation of the master fire alarm boxes connected to the municipal fire alarm system.
Q. 
Owners or occupants of premises containing alarm equipment connected to the village system shall permit inspection by appropriate village employees at reasonable hours.
[Amended 3-2-1998 by L.L. No. 3-1998]
R. 
Duty of users. Users of alarm equipment connected to the village alarm system shall maintain such equipment in first class condition at all times.
S. 
Authority of village. The Board of Trustees of the village may order the disconnecting of any alarm equipment which is not properly maintained, as herein prescribed.
T. 
Appropriate signs indicating the location of the nearest fire alarm box shall be installed at all entrances of all multiple dwellings and places of public assembly by the owner, tenant or person in charge of said building, said signs to be approved by the Bureau of Fire Prevention as to size, material, wording, place and manner of installation. No person shall refuse to permit the installation of such signs as provided herein or shall remove any such sign so installed.
U. 
Enforcement. The Police Department shall enforce the provisions of this chapter.
[Amended 3-2-1998 by L.L. No. 3-1998]
V. 
Violation of any provision of this chapter shall be subject to the penalty provisions as set forth in Chapter 1 of the Lynbrook Code.
A. 
Direct alarm system. The installation of any alarm system in police headquarters, with the exception of the public school alarms and one fire alarm register to be designated by the Board of Trustees, is hereby prohibited. All other existing alarm systems installed in police headquarters will be removed.
B. 
Exceptions. None of the provisions of this chapter shall apply to a fire or police alarm device or devices installed in a motor vehicle or trailer.