The following definitions shall be fully applicable to this Chapter 5.41 in its entirety, except as expressly stated to the contrary herein.
A. "Audible fire alarm system" and/or "audible fire alarm device" means an alarm system which, when activated, generates sound perceptible from the exterior of the building structure or facility in which the fire alarm system is located.
B. "Department" means the Department of Finance and Administrative Services of the City of Chico.
C. "Director" means the Director of Finance and Administrative Services of the City of Chico or any officer, agent or employee of the city designated to act on the Director's behalf.
D. "Emergency" means an occasion that reasonably requires a response by the fire department. A response due to failure of a fire alarm system, personnel error in transmission or reporting of an alarm, or repair or maintenance of a fire alarm system is not an emergency.
E. "Fire alarm system" means any mechanical, electrical or electronic device designed or used to detect fire in a building, structure or facility or both, which when activated emits, transmits or relays a signal intended to summon a response by the fire department to a fire at the premises. "Fire alarm system" does not include a fire alarm system:
1. Designed to alert only the inhabitants of a residence or business premises;
2. Not designed or used to invoke a fire department response;
3. Installed on a temporary basis by the fire department.
F. "Fire alarm system monitoring company," means any individual, partnership, corporation or other form of association that engages in business or accepts employment to monitor fire alarm systems located in the City of Chico. For purposes of this chapter, fire alarm system monitoring company includes those dealers and installers who contract with a property owner, subscriber, or customer to perform fire alarm system monitoring services and then subcontract with another fire alarm system monitoring company to provide actual monitoring services.
G. "Fire alarm system site" means the location at which a fire alarm system is installed.
H. "Fire alarm user" means any person, as defined in this Chapter, in possession and control, whether as an owner, lessee or otherwise, of any building, structure or facility in which a fire alarm system has been installed and is operated. It means only the subscriber when the system is connected to a fire alarm system monitoring company. It means only the self-monitored false fire alarm system user when the system is not connected to a fire alarm system monitoring company.
I. "Fire Chief" or "Chief" means the Chief of the City of Chico Fire Department and his or her designee.
J. "False fire alarm" means activation of an alarm system through improper installation, mis-operation, malfunction, misuse, or neglect on the part of the fire alarm user, accidental triggering, or mechanical, electrical or electronic failure, which results in an emergency response to the alarm system site by the fire department and which the fire department determines was not warranted by an emergency situation. "False alarm" does not include activation of an alarm system caused by:
1. Earthquake, violent wind or similar acts of nature;
2. Malfunction offsite of electrical, telephone or wireless equipment or services provided to support an alarm system; or
3. Other extraordinary circumstances not reasonably subject to the control of the fire alarm user.
K. "Nuisance fire alarm system" means a fire alarm system that has been declared, pursuant to this chapter, a public nuisance due to excessive false alarms.
L. "Person" or “person”, as used throughout this Chapter, means any individual, partnership, corporation, trust, incorporated or unincorporated entity, or other entity or group of persons.
M. "Self-monitored fire alarm system user" means any person who does not engage in business or accepts employment to monitor fire alarm systems, but elects to internally monitor its own fire alarm system located within the City of Chico.
N. "Subscriber" means a person having or maintaining a fire alarm system where such a system is connected to or in communication with a fire alarm system monitoring company.
(Ord. 2514 §3 (part), Ord. 2565 §2)