[Ord. No. 00-7, § I, 5-8-2000]
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the
meanings ascribed to them in this section:
With the approval and consent of the Fire Chief of the City
or his/her designee.
Approved key boxes manufactured by the Knox Company that
meet the specification and approval of the City Fire Department. These
key boxes are for the exclusive use of the City Fire Department for
emergency purposes only.
Fire alarm systems that are required by this article or of
other state, local or federal law and ordinance. Required system shall
also include systems agreed to by the City Fire Department and the
building owner/occupant as an alternative to other code requirements
that are difficult or impractical to comply with.
[Ord. No. 00-7, § I, 5-8-2000]
(a)
The installation, maintenance, operation and transmission of fire alarm systems, to which the City Fire Department may respond including non-required systems, shall be in accordance with the requirements of the National Fire Protection Association Standard 72 (National Fire Code) 1996 Edition or currently adopted edition. In addition fire alarm systems shall be subject to the amendments set forth in Section 30-120 of this article.
(b)
This article adopts by reference the following codes and standards
as they apply to automatic fire alarm systems:
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NFPA 72 National Fire Alarm Code 1996 Edition;
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NFPA 70 National Electrical Code;
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NFPA 13 Installation of Sprinkler Systems 1996 Edition;
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(c)
If there is any conflict between the language of this article and
the language of the aforementioned codes and standards, the most restrictive
shall apply.
[Ord. No. 00-7, § I, 5-8-2000]
These requirements of this article shall apply to all new buildings
within the inspection boundaries of the City Fire Department.
(1)
New buildings should comply with the requirement of this article
before the building is occupied or used for any purpose other than
its construction.
(2)
False alarms provisions shall apply to both new and existing structures.
(3)
All cost associated with the installation, operation, transmission,
and maintenance of automatic fire alarm systems shall be borne by
the building owner and/or occupant.
[Ord. No. 00-7, § I, 5-8-2000]
The codes adopted in Section 30-118 of this article are hereby amended as follows:
(1)
Transmission of alarm signals:
a.
All alarm signals emanating from automatic fire alarm systems shall
transmit by dedicated circuit.
b.
Non-required systems may transmit clear signals via digital communicator
with a daily test signal or other means to a UL listed central station.
All alarm signals received by the central station must be relayed
to the City Fire Department alarm center via public switched telephone
network at (414) 248-4434 or at said number as established from time
to time. A copy of the current UL listing for central station alarm
receiving locations shall be on file at the City Fire Department.
Alarm installation company shall provide for current UL listing for
central stations. Note: After September 25, 1999, the area code will
change to (262).
c.
Systems that transmit alarm via recorder or digital voices shall
be prohibited. No fire alarm system shall be programmed to directly
dial 911 or other emergency and/or nonemergency number of the City
Fire Department.
(2)
Registration and permits:
a.
All new automatic fire alarm systems, and modification to existing
systems, shall be reviewed by the City Fire Department prior to installation
or modification.
1.
A minimum of two sets of detailed plans and specifications shall
be submitted to the City Fire Department before any automatic fire
alarm system is installed or altered.
2.
A minimum of one set of approved plans and specifications shall
be on the job at all times.
3.
A plan review fee of $50 shall be submitted with the detailed
plans. A fee of $25 per hour will be charged for witness testing of
the system.
4.
All fire alarm systems shall be inspected by and tested in the
presence of the City Fire Department Fire Prevention Bureau before
it is placed in service. An appointment for acceptance and testing
shall be made five days prior to the final testing.
5.
The authority having jurisdiction shall be authority to disconnect
primary power and seal the panel a minimum of 24 hours prior to the
acceptance test. If seal is broken or opened the final acceptance
test will not be done that day and additional charges will be incurred.
b.
All fire alarm systems shall be registered with the City Fire Department
Fire Prevention Bureau on a form provided. A list of at least three
key holders including home, work and pager telephone numbers shall
be submitted on supplied forms prior to acceptance. It shall be the
responsibility of the owner/occupant to update this registration whenever
changes occur.
(3)
Knox box entry system:
a.
All new and existing occupancies having automatic fire alarm systems
shall have approved Knox Box systems installed in a location approved
by the City Fire Department.
b.
The Knox Box shall contain all keys for all locked areas of the building
as required by the City Fire Department. Keys shall include, but not
be limited to, all areas of the building, automatic fire alarm systems,
pull station re-setting tools, all elevators and elevator machine
rooms and sprinkler systems riser rooms.
c.
The City Fire Department shall be notified immediately of changes
of locks and/or keys for the building to allow for the placement of
new keys in the Knox Box.
(4)
Zoning of fire alarm systems: Shall be, per NFPA 72, 1-5-7.
(5)
Additional specific system requirements:
a.
All fire alarm control panels shall be capable of silencing the audio
notification signal without re-setting the panel. The silencing switch
shall be a single switch requiring no keys, access codes or special
knowledge. The re-set switch shall be a single switch requiring no
keys, access codes or special knowledge. A key may be used to actuate
a remote annunciator panel to silence a system.
b.
All wiring should conform to the most recent requirements of NFPA
72 (National Fire Alarm Code) and the National Electrical Code.
c.
All smoke detectors should have indicting lights that illuminate
when the detector activates. When smoke detectors are installed in
any location not visible from the floor area, remote indicating lights
shall be provided in a location approved by the City Fire Department.
d.
The installation of safety guards over alarm initiating devices may
be required when such devices are subject to damage or frequent malicious
activation.
e.
All sprinkler system control valves and associated control functions
shall be equipped with electric supervision including pump power,
pump run and room temperature etc. Supervised functions shall transmit
a separate and distinct supervisory alarm. Said alarm should automatically
restore when the supervised function is restored to the normal position
and indicates restoration at the remote alarm monitoring station.
f.
Alarm system indicating panels shall be placed so that firefighting
personnel do not have to pass through or into the structure any further
than the main entrance to view or operate the alarm panel.
(6)
Vacant buildings. The alarm system shall remain in operation at all
times.
(7)
Maintenance and repair of systems. All building owners and/or occupants
shall maintain their automatic fire alarm systems in good operating
condition at all times.
a.
Every automatic fire alarm system shall be inspected annually or
more frequently if required by NFPA 72, by a licensed fire alarm contractor.
Systems shall be cleaned when necessary. Proof of such inspection
shall be filed with the City Fire Department Fire Prevention Bureau
with 15 days of the inspection.
b.
If a system malfunctions or otherwise needs repair, the building
owner and/or occupant shall see that said repairs are performed by
a licensed fire alarm contractor or electrician within 24 hours of
discovery.
c.
Automatic fire alarm systems that transmit more than two false alarms
in a twenty-four-hour period or more three false alarms in a seven-day
period may be taken out of service by the City Fire Department. Automatic
fire alarm systems taken out of service necessitates the establishment
of a human fire watch, 24 hours per day until the system is repaired
and the entire system is functional.
[Ord. No. 00-7, § I, 5-8-2000]
(a)
False alarms, administrative charges:
(1)
The owner or occupant shall be charged for fire protection system
malfunctions and/or false alarms generating true fire alarm condition
in excess of three per calendar year at the following rates:
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Fourth false alarm
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$300
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Fifth and all subsequent false alarms (each)
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$500
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(2)
The owner or occupant shall be charged for fire protection system
trouble or supervisory alarms in excess of five per calendar year,
that results from any reason other than system testing, maintenance,
electrical service, telephone line, or weather malfunction at the
rate of $300 per alarm.
(3)
No person shall deliberately or maliciously turn in an alarm
of fire when in fact that person knows that no fire exists. No person
shall activate any automatic fire alarm system or installed fire protection
system for purpose other than emergency, maintenance, drills or prescribed
testing. A fine of $500 shall be charged for false alarms and/or up
to 30 days' imprisonment.
(4)
This subsection is intended to impose a strict liability on the person, business, corporation or other entity responsible for alarm connections to alarm receiving firm to which the Fire Department has responded and shall be applied regardless of the cause of the false alarm except those situations as defined in Section 30-121(a)(2). Failure to pay such administrative charge(s) in and of itself shall constitute a violation of this section.
(b)
System resetting:
(1)
No person other than a fire official, shall cause a fire alarm
system to be reset once an alarm has been activated. This section
will not apply to alarms generated for testing or fire drills when
the Fire Department has been notified of the testing or drill.
(2)
Alarm system audio warning devices may be silenced by the building
owner/occupant, but only after a thorough search of the building has
been conducted and it is determined that no fire or other emergency
exists.
[Ord. No. 04-01, § I, 1-26-2004; Ord. No. 04-37, § I, 12-13-2004; Ord. No. 05-03, § I, 2-14-2005; 11-27-2017 by Ord.
No. 17-17]
(a)
An annual fire prevention inspection fee is established for the City.
(b)
An annual fire prevention inspection fee shall be charged to the
property owner for the required inspections of each building, structure
and premises as specified in the fire prevention inspection fee schedule.
(c)
Fire prevention inspection fees shall be established by the City
Council by resolution as amended from time to time.
(d)
Inspection fees shall be charged to the property owner. Any fees
unpaid by November 1 of each year shall be entered upon the tax roll
as a special charge against the property and all proceedings in relation
to the collection, return, and sale of the property for delinquent
real estate taxes shall apply to the inspection fee.
