[HISTORY: Adopted by the Borough Council of the Borough of Slippery Rock as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]
[Adopted 6-5-2012 by Ord. No. 665]
This article shall be known and may be cited as the "Borough of Slippery Rock False Alarm Ordinance."
False alarms that are triggered negligently, accidentally or intentionally cause unnecessary disruption to Borough emergency services and waste Borough resources, endangering Borough residents. The Borough intends to adopt a policy and regulations which will minimize this disruption.
This article is adopted for the following purposes:
A. 
To provide for fees and penalties to principal owners, operators, tenants, and other individuals responsible for false alarms resulting in unwarranted response by emergency services.
B. 
To encourage the use of appropriate alarm installation practices to prevent or minimize false alarms that require the response of emergency services.
A. 
Words used in the present tense shall include the future. The singular shall include the plural, and the plural the singular. The word "person" includes a corporation and unincorporated association.
B. 
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated, unless a different meaning clearly appears from the context:
ALARM AGENT
Any firm, corporation or person who conducts the business of owning, operating, maintaining, installing, leasing, or selling alarm systems and whose duties include any of the following: selling, maintaining, leasing, servicing, repairing, altering, replacing, moving, or installing in or on any building, place or premises any automatic protection device, as defined in this article, within Slippery Rock Borough.
ALARM DEVICE
A communication to the police, fire, or emergency medical service departments indicating that a crime, fire, or other emergency situation has occurred or is occurring warranting immediate action by the police, fire, or emergency medical service departments.
ALARM SYSTEM
Any electrically operated instrument composed of sensors and related hardware that automatically signals by wire, telephone, radio signal, or other means to a person who, in turn, notifies the Butler County Emergency Services (911) of the alarm. Alarm systems also include equipment to activate a bell or sounding device to be heard outside a building which is intended to alert the police or others to the existence of a crime, fire, or other emergency situation warranting action by emergency services, upon receipt of a stimulus from a sensor that has detected a physical force or condition characteristic of a fire, intrusion, or other emergency.
AUDIBLE ALARM
Any device, bell, horn, or siren which is attached to the interior or exterior of a building and emits a warning signal audible outside the building, which signal is designed to attract attention when activated by an intrusion or other emergency requiring police or service response.
CENTRAL STATION SYSTEM
Any protective system or group or group of systems operated privately for customers by an alarm agent; a firm; or a corporation that accepts messages or signals from alarm systems at a central station having operators in attendance at all times who have the duty to take appropriate action upon receipt of a signal or message, including the relaying of messages by designated or direct trunk line to the Butler County Emergency Management Services.
EMERGENCY SERVICES
A public or private agency, corporation or volunteer company that provides emergency police, fire or medical services or that dispatches or coordinates such services, including the personnel of such public or private agency, corporation or volunteer company.
FALSE ALARM
An alarm to which police, fire, or other emergency services respond resulting from the activation of an alarm or alarm system when a crime, fire, or other emergency warranting immediate action has not in fact occurred.
INADVERTENT FALSE ALARM
An alarm system activated in the absence of an emergency, whether by inadvertence, negligence, or unintentional act, including any mechanical or electrical malfunction of the alarm system, to which emergency services actually responds.
INTENTIONAL FALSE ALARM
A false alarm resulting from the intentional activation of an alarm device by an individual(s) under circumstances where the individual(s) has/have no reasonable basis to believe that a crime, fire, or other emergency warranting immediate action has occurred or is occurring.
SILENT ALARM
A alarm system that does not emit an audible signal or tone when activated at a protected site and is monitored by a central station system.
A. 
Audible alarms, other than fire alarms, must be equipped with a timing mechanism that will disengage the audible alarm after a maximum period of 10 minutes if the system activates on or near the premises. Exceptions shall be made for certified systems requiring longer-sounding alarms for insurance purposes, providing that certification and policy requirements are documented with the Borough, and further providing that these devices are equipped with timers to disengage the audible alarm after the minimum time required for certification.
B. 
The sensory mechanism used in conjunction with an alarm device must be adjusted to suppress false indications of fire or intrusion, so that the alarm device will not be activated by impulse due to transient pressure changes in waterlines, short flashes of light, wind effects such as rattling or vibration of doors or windows, vehicular noises adjacent to the premises, or other forces unrelated to genuine alarm situations.
C. 
The alarm device or system must be maintained in good repair to assure reliable operation.
D. 
No person shall conduct or test any alarm device or system without first notifying the alarm agent to ensure that the alarm or signal is not related to emergency services.
E. 
All alarm devices or systems installed or used in the Borough of Slippery Rock shall meet the most current applicable standards of the Underwriters Laboratories, the National Fire Protection Association and/or any other applicable recognized standards in the industry.
A. 
The Borough Council shall develop and implement by resolution the necessary procedures for the effective administration and enforcement of this article.
(1) 
The Chief of Police or his designee shall ensure that a report is submitted for each alarm activation requiring emergency service response.
(2) 
The Chief of Police or his designee will read the report, review the records to confirm the number of prior alarms at the address, and determine if a false alarm fine is due under this article.
B. 
False alarms.
(1) 
The principal owner, operator, tenant, or other individual responsible for the facility from which a false alarm emanated shall pay to the Borough a fine for each and every false alarm after the first three false alarms within the same consecutive twelve-month period to which emergency services respond. The fine for each false alarm shall be in an amount as established from time to time by ordinance, not to exceed $300.
(2) 
The fines imposed by Subsection B(1) of this section shall not apply in the following circumstances:
(a) 
The false alarm is due to weather conditions.
(b) 
For new installations, documentation has been provided that the alarm system was initially installed within six months prior to the false alarm, no more than three false alarms have occurred since the installation, and the false alarm is due to a system malfunction.
(c) 
For installations not covered by Subsection B(2)(b), the false alarm is the first through third reported at the subject address during the calendar year.
(d) 
An event occurred on the alarmed premises that could not have been anticipated, and the alarm system detected the occurrence. Examples might be a ceiling tile falling, a water pipe bursting, or a repairman causing an inadvertent false alarm. Leaving a pet loose or a fan on in a room protected by motion detection would not be events that would be excused.
(e) 
Multiple alarms emanating from an alarmed facility in a twelve-hour period shall be treated as a single alarm.
(3) 
When a fourth false alarm occurs within a consecutive twelve-month period, the Slippery Rock Borough Administrator shall notify the principal owner, operator, tenant, or other individual responsible for the alarm system from which the false alarm emanated that a false alarm fine is due and the amount thereof. The amount of the fine (if any) will be determined in accordance with Subsection B(1) of this section. Such notice shall be in writing and mailed to the last known address by regular mail, postage prepaid, of the principal owner, operator, tenant or other individual responsible for the alarm system.
(4) 
The principal owner, operator, tenant, or other individual responsible for the facility where the false alarm emanated may provide information in writing to the Slippery Rock Borough Administrator, providing evidence that one of the circumstances explained in Subsection B(2) (above) applied.
(5) 
A false alarm fine shall be due and payable to the Borough 30 days from the date of the notice of the fine. If the amount is not paid within the thirty-day period, a certified letter shall be sent by the Slippery Rock Borough Administrator to the principal owner, operator, tenant, or other individual responsible for the alarm system of the alarmed facility demanding payment within 30 days. If payment is still not made, a law enforcement officer will file a citation with the Magisterial District Judge.
(6) 
Failure of a person responsible for the alarm system that originated the false alarm to pay a false alarm fine on or before the date due shall constitute a violation of this article and shall subject said person to the penalties set forth in § 93-7.
C. 
Intentional false alarms. No individual shall create an intentional false alarm. Violators shall be punishable pursuant to 18 Pa.C.S.A. § 4905.
[1]
Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).
[Amended 10-6-2015 by Ord. No. 687]
False alarm violations shall be subject to § 93-6; any person, firm, partnership, or corporation who shall violate any other provisions of this article or who shall fail to pay a fine for a false alarm, upon conviction thereof in an action brought before a Magisterial District Judge in the manner provided for the enforcement of summary offenses under the Pennsylvania Rules of Criminal Procedure, shall be sentenced to pay a fine of not more than $1,000, plus costs, and, in default of payment of said fine and costs, to a term of imprisonment not to exceed 30 days. Each day that a violation of this article continues or each section of this article which shall be found to have been violated shall constitute a separate offense.
[Adopted 10-10-2017 by Ord. No. 703]
A Knox Box is required for:
A. 
New commercial buildings. All new commercial buildings shall have installed a Knox Box, of an Underwriters Laboratory (UL) type and size approved by the Borough Fire Marshal, in a location specified by the Borough Code Enforcement Office prior to the issuance of the permit to occupy.
B. 
Existing commercial buildings with improvements. All existing commercial buildings constructing improvements that require Planning approval shall have installed a Knox Box, of an Underwriters Laboratory (UL) type and size approved by the Borough Fire Marshal, in a location specified by the Borough Code Enforcement Office prior to the issuance of the construction permit.
C. 
Existing commercial buildings. All existing commercial buildings equipped with automatic fire detection and/or suppression system shall have installed a Knox Box, of a UL type and size approved by the Borough Fire Marshal, in a location specified by the Borough Code Enforcement Office within six months of the effective date of this article.
D. 
All new construction of multifamily residential structures. All new construction of multifamily residential structures that have restricted access through locked doors and have a common corridor for access to the living units shall have installed a Knox Box, of a UL type and size approved by the Borough Fire Marshal, in a location specified by the Borough Code Enforcement Office within six months of the effective date of this article.
All Knox Boxes shall contain labeled keys, easily identified in the field to provide access into the property and/or building and to any locked areas within the said building as the Borough Fire Marshal may direct.
Any locked gates or driveways which allow access to a commercial business are required to place a fire department access lock on the said access point to allow immediate emergency access to the commercial property. All locks are to be approved by the Borough Fire Marshal.
Any person, firm or corporation who shall violate any provision of this article, upon conviction thereof, shall be sentenced to pay a fine of not more than $1,000 plus costs and, in default of payment of said fine and costs, to a term of imprisonment not to exceed 30 days. Each day that a violation of this article continues shall constitute a separate offense.