[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Selectmen
of the Town of Wilton 10-5-1998; amended 12-21-1998; 6-17-2002; 1-22-2013. Subsequent amendments
noted where applicable.]
The purpose of this ordinance is to promote
the responsible use of alarm systems in Wilton and to reduce the number
of false alarms. A reduction in false alarms and the related responses
by emergency vehicles will improve the general public safety on the
highways, reduce wear and tear on equipment, improve the morale of
emergency personnel, encourage greater response by volunteers and
improve the overall efficiency of the Fire and Police Departments
and the Ambulance Corps.
As used in this ordinance, the following terms
shall have the meanings indicated:
A person or persons designated by the Chief Financial Officer
who shall administer, control and enforce the terms and provisions
of this ordinance.
An assembly of equipment and devices or a single device designed
to signal the presence of a hazard or emergency requiring urgent attention
and to which the Fire or Police Departments or EMS personnel are expected
to respond. Excluded from this definition and the scope of this ordinance
are:
Any person, firm, corporation or other entity owning a premises
in which an alarm system is installed, regardless if it is active
or inactive.
An alarm system which automatically sends a prerecorded voice
message or coded signal over regular telephone lines.
A firm, corporation or other entity responsible for receiving
alarm signals from remote locations, monitoring those signals and
relaying alarm information to the Fire or Police Departments or EMS
headquarters.
The activation of an alarm system to which the Fire or Police
Department or EMS personnel respond and which is not caused by a criminal
act, smoke, fire or other hazard or emergency. Excluded from this
definition is any activation resulting from a verified malfunction
of telephone equipment, power outage, lightning strike, extreme weather
condition or cataclysmic event. An alarm response which is canceled
by the central station or by the alarm user prior to the time fire,
police or EMS personnel reaches the alarmed premises shall not be
considered a false alarm.
The twelve-month period beginning May 1 of any year and ending
April 30 of the following year.
A.
Every alarm user shall register an alarm with the
Wilton Tax Office one time. Alarm systems registered with the Wilton
Tax Office as of the effective date of this ordinance shall be recognized
as being registered in compliance with this ordinance.
B.
Any alarm system installed after the effective date
of this ordinance shall be registered with the Town of Wilton Tax
Office by the alarm user within 45 days following installation.
C.
Whenever
property is transferred, the new owner must register an existing alarm
system within 45 days of the property transfer.
D.
Registration shall be accomplished by filling out
a form provided by the Wilton Tax Office Alarm Administrator. Such
registration shall set forth the name, address and telephone number
of the alarm user, the contacts in case of an alarm, the alarm installer,
the central station monitoring the alarm system and the alarm servicing
company, as well as the type of alarm system, and any additional information
that may be requested by the Alarm Administrator.
E.
It shall be the responsibility of each alarm user
to notify the Town of Wilton Tax Office of changes in the registration
information including activation/deactivation of the system.
Automatic telephone dialing alarm systems that
send messages directly to the communications center of the Fire or
Police Departments or EMS headquarters are prohibited in the Town
of Wilton.
Except as otherwise provided by law, no alarm
system which produces an exterior audible sound shall be installed
unless the operation of its exterior audible sound is automatically
deactivated within 15 minutes.
Every alarm system installed after the effective
date of this ordinance shall have its own auxiliary power system which
shall be maintained in working order.
A.
In the course of a single fiscal year, each registered
alarm user shall be allowed two false alarms free of the penalties
for false alarms. The penalty for any additional false alarms in same
fiscal year shall be $100 for each false alarm. The Alarm Administrator
shall send a citation to the alarm user for each such penalty, which
penalty shall be paid within 30 days. Two or more false alarms on
the same day from the same alarm user shall be considered one false
alarm.
B.
If a false alarm penalty is imposed upon an alarm
user, said user may, within 30 days of receipt of notice, appeal the
penalty charge by filing with the Alarm Administrator a written notice
of appeal and request for hearing, setting forth the specific reason(s)
the penalty should not be imposed. The filing of a request for an
appeal hearing shall stay the assessment of the penalty until the
hearing officer has rendered a final decision. A hearing shall be
held within 20 days of receipt of the appeal and shall be conducted
by a hearing officer in accordance with Section 7-152c of the Connecticut
General Statutes, as amended. The hearing officer shall grant upon
good cause shown any reasonable request by any interested party for
postponement or continuance of the hearing. Hearing officers shall
be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the First Selectman.
Any person or entity who performs or causes
to be performed any of the following acts shall be subject to a fine
of $50 for each such act, which fine shall be paid within 30 days
of letter notice:
A.
Failure to register an alarm system or a central station
as required hereunder.
B.
Failure of an alarm user to notify the Wilton Tax
Office of changes in the registration information, as required hereunder.
C.
Use of an exterior audible alarm system except as
provided hereunder.
D.
Use of an automatic telephone dialing alarm system.
E.
Failure to install or maintain an auxiliary power
source as required hereunder.
F.
Failure to make timely payment of penalties or fines.
This charge shall be added to the original penalty or fine.
All private and personal information in the
possession of the Alarm Administrator, the hearing officers, the Fire
or Police Departments or EMS personnel concerning particular alarm
users and particular alarm systems shall not be divulged without the
written consent of the alarm user or users concerned, except information
relating to dispatch statistics and the occurrence of false alarms.
This provision shall not be construed to limit access to information
as provided by law.
Except as expressly provided herein, the Town
of Wilton, its departments, officers, agents and employees shall be
under no obligation whatsoever regarding the adequacy, operation or
maintenance of any alarm system or of any alarm monitoring facility.
No liability whatsoever is assumed for the failure of any such alarm
system or monitoring facility or for failure to respond to alarms
or for any other act or omission in connection with such alarm systems.
Each alarm user shall be deemed to indemnify and hold harmless the
Town of Wilton, its departments, officers, agents and employees from
liability in connection with said alarm user's alarm system.
The provisions of this ordinance are designated
for enforcement in accordance with Sections 7-148 and 7-152c of the
Connecticut General Statutes, as amended. The Town of Wilton may institute
civil proceedings to enforce the provisions herein contained.
The invalidity of any part or parts of this
ordinance shall not affect the validity of the remaining parts.
This ordinance shall take effect on July 1,
1999.
