Borough of Honesdale, PA Alarm Systems

Each and every commercial business, partnership, corporation, establishment, entity, individual or concern, whether as owner or lessee of any such system utilizing any manual or automatic direct or indirect communication to fire or police burglar alarm systems or any other emergency alarm systems connected into the Honesdale Fire Department or Borough Police, within the jurisdiction and coverage of either Department, shall pay annually to the Borough of Honesdale the amount as set forth from time to time by resolution of the Borough Council for the benefits and advantages received through the use of such systems for the Departments of Fire and Police.

[1]

Editor's Note: The current Fee Schedule can be found on file in the borough offices.

[2]

Editor's Note: Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I).

§ 57-2 False alarms.

[Added 12-13-1993 by Ord. No. 536]

Should any manual or automatic fire alarm or other emergency alarm system described in this chapter cause a false alarm to occur during any calendar year commencing January 1, a graduated service charge shall be levied against the owner or lessee of said system in accordance with the schedule as set forth from time to time by the Borough Council during the twelve-month period.[1]

[1]

A false alarm shall be any manual or automatic emergency alarm which is activated by inadvertence, negligence or intentional or unintentional act to which the Borough of Honesdale Fire Department responds or the Borough Police respond, including alarms caused by the malfunction of the alarm or sprinkler systems, except that the following shall not be considered false alarms:

(1)

Alarms caused by preapproved testing, failure or repair of telephone equipment or lines at the Communications Center.

(2)

Alarms caused by an act of God, such as earthquakes, floods, windstorms, thunder or lightning.

(3)

Alarms caused by vandals or malicious mischief involving emergency alarms.

The owner may voluntarily disconnect from the system if repeated frequent mechanical/electrical problems arise.

The records of false alarms reported by the Honesdale Fire Department Chief and the Honesdale Borough Police Department shall be maintained by the Borough of Honesdale, and reports of the same will be transmitted quarterly for appropriate billing and collection thereof.

§ 57-3 Violations and penalties.

[Added 12-13-1993 by Ord. No. 536]

Any owner or occupant of property in the Borough of Honesdale or fire alarm jurisdiction area in which a manual or automatic alarm system is now or hereafter installed who fails to register as herein provided and who fails to pay the registration fee herein established or fails to pay an additional fee for response to a false alarm as provided hereinabove shall pay the fee and be subject to a fine of not less than $100 nor more than $300 and costs per incident, to be imposed and collected in a manner specified by the Borough of Honesdale for violation of a borough ordinance.

§ 57-4 Payment of fee.

Said fee shall be payable by such individual, establishment, partnership, corporation, entity or concern for each connection before January 1 of each year to the Secretary of the Borough of Honesdale.

§ 57-5 Suspension of service.

Any individual, establishment, partnership, corporation, entity or concern who fails to pay said sum for each connection within 15 days following the above-mentioned date shall have such alarm connection service with the borough suspended until such time as the aforesaid fee for the current year is remitted to the Borough Secretary as aforesaid.

§ 57-6 Fee to be prorated.

Any individual, establishment, partnership, corporation, entity or concern who shall initiate employment of such service during the year shall pay on a prorated basis an amount equal to that fractional portion of the year for which said individual, establishment, partnership, corporation, entity or concern is receiving said service for each connection.

§ 57-7 Year defined.

For the purposes of this chapter, "the year" or "current year" shall be intended to mean the twelve-month period commencing January 1 and ending December 31.

§ 57-8 Inspections and charges.

The borough shall, if it deems necessary, have the right to inspect the connection, operation and maintenance of the system and make reasonable charges for such inspection pursuant to the Borough of Honesdale Electrical Code.[1]

[1]

Editor's Note: See Ch. 96, Electrical Standards.

§ 57-9 Applicability.

The provisions of this chapter shall not apply to any individual, establishment, partnership, corporation, entity or concern who or which utilizes indirect communications or retransmits to the burglar or fire alarm system of the Honesdale Volunteer Fire Companies or police of the Borough of Honesdale.