Chapter 18.40
MUNICIPAL ALARM SYSTEM
Sections:
18.40.010 Installation of emergency alarm.
18.40.030 Permittee rights and responsibilities.
18.40.040 Telephone communicators.
18.40.060 Unauthorized alarms and permit requirement.
18.40.010 Installation of emergency alarm.
The owner, or authorized agent of the owner, of any premises desiring to install any alarm system designed to elicit a response by the fire department or police department shall file a written application for an alarm permit with the fire chief on a form provided. The owner or authorized agent of the owner of any premises that have such an alarm presently installed shall also file a written application for an alarm permit with the fire chief on a form provided. The applicant shall provide such information relating to the connection as the fire chief may require, and shall agree to comply with such requirements as are prescribed by the fire chief.
Keys to the premises shall be secured in a Knox Box to provide emergency access to the building to which the alarm is connected unless waived pursuant to KMC 18.40.020(a). Unless a Knox Box is already provided to the premises, the actual cost of the Knox Box shall be paid to the fire department upon filing of the application, and the Knox Box shall be installed on the premises at a location approved by the fire chief. The Knox Box shall become the property of the building owner and the purchase price thereof shall not be refundable. (Ord. 1316 § 1, 1995; Ord. 1178 § 1, 1990; Ord. 1090 § 1, 1986; Ord. 848 § 1, 1976)
18.40.020 Permit standards.
A permit for the alarm may be issued upon submittal of an application therefor and all requested information if the fire chief finds that:
(a) A Knox Box has been provided unless such requirement is waived by the fire chief;
(b) The applicant and the applicant’s agent have no outstanding unpaid fines, fees or charges owed to the city and have filed a completed application on a form provided by the fire department;
(c) The location, installation, model and proposed operation of the alarm and of the alarm system comply with all requirements of the police department and fire department;
(d) The alarm system chosen by the permittee has been approved and remains authorized by the police department and fire department;
(e) The applicant has appointed an agent who, in the fire chief’s determination, can and will timely respond and perform the duties described in KMC 18.40.030(a)(5).
In addition to any other reason, the fire chief may deny an application when the location of the proposed alarm has been the location of excessive false alarms or when the applicant or the applicant’s agents have failed to respond to previous alarms within the time set under KMC 18.40.030(a)(5). Applications, permits and related records concerning the location, design, installation and use of alarms are confidential law enforcement records which are not subject to public inspection or release. (Ord. 1373 § 1, 1997; Ord. 1316 § 2, 1995; Ord. 1178 § 1, 1990; Ord. 1090 § 2, 1986; Ord. 848 § 1, 1976)
18.40.030 Permittee rights and responsibilities.
(a) Upon the approval and issuance of a permit, the permittee may install and operate the alarm subject to each of the following terms and conditions:
(1) The permittee and the operator of the alarm system chosen by permittee shall comply with and abide by all of the terms, conditions and provisions of the permit regarding installation, access, testing, reporting, response times, false alarms, liability, disconnection and such other terms and conditions as deemed necessary by the fire and police chiefs.
(2) A permit may be revoked at any time by the fire chief for failure of the permittee or the operator of the alarm system chosen by the permittee to abide by all of the terms, conditions and provisions of the permit, the law and the regulations of the police department and fire department. A permit may also be revoked at any time if:
(A) Other alarms sold, installed, monitored or maintained by the operator of the permittee’s alarm have caused false alarms due to the design, use, installation, monitoring or maintenance of the alarms or alarm system; or
(B) If the operator of the alarm system has failed to timely respond to alarms for which the operator is the designated agent.
(3) Frequent false alarms relayed by an alarm shall be considered to be detrimental to the best interests of the city and grounds for disconnection and revocation of the permit. The permittee may be given notice of any defects in any part of the system that is under the control of the permittee or of the operator of permittee’s alarm system of which the fire chief becomes aware. The permittee shall be required to promptly correct all defects.
(4) The provisions of this chapter involve discretionary functions, permits, approvals, inspection, discovery, abatement, health and safety and other matters as referred to in AS 09.65.070, and granting or revoking an alarm permit, testing or failing to test any alarm system, responding or failing to respond to any alarm or any failure or defect in the alarm system shall not constitute an assumption by the city or by any of its officers, employees, or volunteers of any special or other duty, or be deemed or construed to impose any duty, responsibility or liability on the city or any of its officers, employees or volunteers regarding such action, nonaction, failure or defect.
(5) The permittee or the permittee’s designated agent shall arrive at the premises where the alarm is located within 30 minutes from the time the police department attempts, by telephone or personally, to notify the permittee or the permittee’s designated agent that the alarm has called the police to the premises. The permittee or the permittee’s designated agent who arrives at the premises shall be authorized and able to reset the alarm and to fully secure the premises after any police or fire department response. Failure of the permittee or his designated agent to respond within 30 minutes on two or more occasions within any six-month period shall be cause for revocation of the permit. (Ord. 1373 § 2, 1997; Ord. 1316 § 3, 1995; Ord. 1178 § 1, 1990; Ord. 1090 § 3, 1986; Ord. 848 § 1, 1976)
18.40.040 Telephone communicators.
The design, type and manufacture of telephone communicators shall be subject to the prior approval of the fire chief. (Ord. 1373 § 3, 1997; Ord. 1178 § 1, 1990; Ord. 1090 § 4, 1986; Ord. 848 § 1, 1976)
18.40.050 Auxiliary system.
The permittee shall be responsible for providing, installing, and maintaining the alarm system. The installation and maintenance of the private system shall be in accordance with the most current National Fire Protection Association and Insurance Services Offices standards, be subject to the approval of the fire chief, and shall be performed by a person engaged in the business of installing and maintaining such private alarm systems. (Ord. 1373 § 4, 1997; Ord. 1178 § 1, 1990; Ord. 1090 § 5, 1986; Ord. 848 § 1, 1976)
18.40.060 Unauthorized alarms and permit requirement.
(a) It is unlawful for any person not authorized by the fire chief to connect, allow connection, or maintain an alarm device which is capable of automatically dialing any police or fire department telephone number, whether listed or unlisted.
(b) It is unlawful for any person to install, operate, maintain, or for any person having control of a building or structure to permit to be installed, operated, or maintained an alarm for which a permit is required under this chapter, unless such person has a valid permit for such device issued under this chapter and complies with the requirements set forth in KMC 18.40.030. (Ord. 1373 § 5, 1997; Ord. 1316 § 4, 5, 1995; Ord. 1178 § 1, 1990; Ord. 1090 § 6, 1986; Ord. 848 § 1, 1976)
18.40.070 False alarms.
(a) False Alarm Defined. “False alarm” shall mean any alarm signal which elicits a response by the fire department or the police department when a situation requiring a response by the fire department or the police department does not in fact exist, and shall include alarm signals which result from an interruption or fluctuation in the electrical power, but shall not include alarm signals caused by extraordinary circumstances not subject to the control of or not reasonably preventable by the permit holder, or alarm signals caused by testing or maintenance of alarm systems; provided, that the fire department was notified, and the fire chief or his designee gave approval for such testing or maintenance, one hour prior to the time of the alarm signal.
(b) Service Charges for Excessive False Alarms. The city may assess the following service charges to the holder of the alarm connection permit, for each false alarm transmitted by such permittee’s alarm system in excess of one false alarm within a period of six consecutive months:
(1) The service charge for each excessive fire alarm is $500.00;
(2) The service charge for each excessive emergency medical alarm is $175.00;
(3) The service charge for each excessive intrusion alarm is $100.00.
(c) Service Charge for Delayed Responses. Whenever a permittee or the permittee’s designated employee or agent fails to arrive at the premises within the time limit set forth in KMC 18.40.030(a)(5) or is unable to reset or secure the premises as required in KMC 18.40.030(a)(5), the permittee may be charged a service fee of $50.00 for each 15-minute period or part thereof until the alarm is reset and the premises secured to the satisfaction of the police department. The maximum fee under this subsection (c) shall be $500.00.
(d) In the event a service charge is assessed, such charge shall be paid not later than 30 days after the date it is assessed. A permit may be revoked for failure of a permittee to pay a service charge as herein provided. (Ord. 1316 § 6, 1995; Ord. 1178 § 1, 1990; Ord. 1090 § 7, 1986)