A. Purpose
The purpose of this ordinance is to regulate the registration, operation and use of burglar, fire, medical or any other alarms or emergency signaling devices within the Town of East Lyme and to support and enforce the maintenance of said system.
B. Applicability
The provisions of this ordinance shall apply to any person or entity who operates or owns any alarm system that automatically summons the police, fire, medical or ambulance personnel or other Town agency in response to an alarm signal.
C. Definitions
1. Alarm Systems
- a. Alarm System. Any device or equipment which is capable of activating the municipal fire alarm system, or is capable of automatically calling and relaying recorded emergency messages to any State Police or Municipal Police or Fire Department telephone number, or which is capable of automatically calling and relaying recorded emergency messages or other forms of emergency signals to an intermediate third party which shall thereafter call and relay such emergency message to a State Police or Municipal Police or Fire Department telephone number.
- b. Burglar Alarm means any alarm system falling within the definition of paragraph (a) above which is designed to transmit a signal in event of intrusion, hold up, or other type of emergency situation.
- c. Fire Alarm means any system which falls within the definition of paragraph (a) above which is designated to transmit an alarm relating to fire.
- d. All alarm system means any system which sounds an audible signal that may be heard outside the protected premises. Said systems shall be equipped with a device that will limit the duration of such audible signal to not more than ten minutes.
2. Alarm Appeal Board
Shall consist of a three member panel selected by the First Selectman from the following officials: the Resident State Trooper, the Chief of Police, the Chiefs of the Niantic and Flanders Fire Departments, the East Lyme Fire Marshal and a member of the Board of off needlessly.
3. Key Holder
Refers to any person whose name appears on the registration form as a key holder or is designated in writing by the alarm owner or user to respond to the premises of alarm activation when requested by the Police Department or Fire Department (e.g Reset system, gain entry, etc.)
4. Selectmen
The Board is designated to hear appeals and assess fines and penalties.
5. An Alarm Owner or User
Means any person, firm, corporation or other business entity that owns, controls, installs, operates or maintains any alarm system as defined in Section C(1) above.
6. Automatic Telephone Dialing Service
Refers to an alarm system which automatically sends over regular telephone lines, by direct connection or otherwise, a pre-recorded voice message indicating the existence of an emergency situation that the alarm is designated to detect.
7. Central Station Operating Company
Refers to a company equipped to receive burglar, fire, panic, intruder or hold-up alarms from each of its customers and which then transmits to the Connecticut State Police or Town of East Lyme Emergency Communications Center the location and typ of any such alarm the central station operating company receives.
8. False Alarm
Means an alarm (such as a Fire or Burglar Alarm) that is set.
D. Registrations
- 1. The alarm owner/user or central station operating company shall, within 30 days of installation or activation of an alarm system, complete a registration form provided by the Town of East Lyme which shall include information concerning the alarm device, location, key holder(s) and any other necessary
information. - 2. It shall be the responsibility of the alarm owner/user or central station operating company to notify the Town of East Lyme within 10 days, in writing, of changes in registration information.
E. Connection to Telephone Lines Restrictions
- 1. No person, firm, corporation or other business entity shall connect to a telephone company’s network any automatic dialing device or other alarm system which causes the number “911” to be automatically dialed.
- 2. Automatic dialing devices may only be connected to a seven digit telephone number (excluding area code) assigned by the Town of East Lyme. The automatic dialing device must be equipped to disconnect after three rings.
F. False Alarm, Registration, Violations & Charges
- 1. In the event there are three false alarm responses to the same location within the same calendar year, a written warning will be issued to the alarm owner/user upon the occurrence of the third false alarm, notifying them of impending charges for further false alarms occurring within a twelve month period.
- 2. A charge of $25.00 shall be imposed on the alarm owner/user upon the occurrence of a fourth false alarm response within a twelve month period.
- 3. A charge of $50.00 shall be imposed on the alarm owner/user upon the occurrence of all subsequent false alarm responses after four (4) within the twelve month period.
- 4. A charge of $50.00 shall be imposed on the alarm owner/user for failure to register an alarm system with the Town of East Lyme Emergency Services.
- 5. A charge of $50.00 shall be imposed on the alarm owner/user for failure to provide notification of any changes in registration to the Town of East Lyme Emergency Services.
- 6. A charge of $50.00 shall be imposed on the alarm owner/user for the failure of a key holder to timely respond to the premises of the alarm when requested by the Police Department or Fire Department.
- 7. A charge of $50.00 shall be imposed on the alarm owner/user upon the occurrence of any automatic dialing violation as set forth in Section 3 hereof.
- 8. A charge of $25.00 shall be imposed on the alarm owner/user for the failure of an alarm owner/user to notify the Emergency Services Communication Center of an alarm system service test, repair or adjustment of an alarm system which results in a false alarm response.
- 9. Charges for violations will be payable to the Town of East Lyme and collected by the Police Department or the First Selectman’s designee and deposited into the General Fund.
G. Waiver of Charges
- 1. Upon receipt of a timely appeal for a false alarm charge or registration violation, the Alarm Appeal Board shall hold a hearing to consider waiving said charge. The Appeal Board shall mail a notice of the time and place of said hearing to the alarm owner/user at his/her last known address at least fifteen days before the hearing. On the basis of information provided by the alarm owner/user and other information introduced at the hearing, the Board shall affirm the charge or waive the charge.
- 2. An appeal shall be considered timely if written notice thereof is filed at the office of the First Selectman within fifteen (15) days after notice of the false alarm charge or registration violation is mailed to the alarm owner/user.
- 3. If an alarm owner/user notifies the proper agency that will receive his alarm when activated, East Lyme Communications 860-739-3149 or State Police Dispatch 860-848-6500 at least one (1) hour prior to any service test, repair or adjustment of an alarm system that may activate a false alarm, no charge shall be imposed. In the case of fire alarm systems, the alarm owner/user shall notify the East Lyme Communications Center at 860-739-3149 as soon as all service, test, repair or adjustment of the alarm system has been completed.
H. Enforcement
- 1. The Town of East Lyme may institute civil proceedings to enforce the provisions of this ordinance.
I. Disclaimer of Liability
Notwithstanding the provisions of this ordinance, the Town of East Lyme and its departments, officers, agents and employees shall be under no obligation whatsoever to ensure or verify the adequacy, proper installation, maintenance, use or resetting of any alarm device. The Town of East Lyme assumes no liability for the failure of alarm devices. Each alarm owner/user shall be deemed to hold and save harmless the Town of East Lyme and its departments, officers, agents and employees from any and all liability arising out of, resulting from or relating to an alarm owner/user’s installation, operation, maintenance and use of an alarm system.