(a) Statement of Purpose. False E911 telephone calls are a threat to public health, safety and welfare in the Village of Edgar. Each false E911 call requires a response by emergency response personnel, creates unnecessary expense for the Village, and harms the ability of emergency response personnel to respond to legitimate emergencies.
(b) Definitions. For purposes of this Section, an "emergency" exists when a person reasonably believes that an immediate response by public safety personnel is essential due to the risk or actual occurrence of death or bodily harm; property damage; or any other situation which reasonably requires the immediate response of public safety personnel.
(c) Intentionally False E911 Calls Prohibited.
(1) No person shall use the E911 emergency telephone number system for any purpose other than to report an emergency.
(2) No person shall use the E911 system to report an emergency knowing that the fact situation which he/she reports does not exist.
(3) No person shall call the E911 emergency telephone number system and hang up without reporting an emergency, if, in fact, no emergency exists.
(4) No parent, legal guardian or other adult having the care and custody of a person under eighteen (18) years of age shall permit or by insufficient control allow such person to violate the provisions of this Section.
(5) Any person violating this Section regarding intentional false E911 calls shall forfeit an amount as prescribed by Section 1-1-6.
(d) Unintentional E911 Calls.
(1) Unintentional E911 calls made due to human error, equipment malfunctions, or equipment programming shall be the joint and several responsiblity of the person making the unintentional E91 l call and the owner, tenant, business occupant, occupant or person in control of a premises or telephone equipment, including wireless cellphones, from which such false E911 calls originate.
(2) The person making the unintentional E911 call, or the owner, tenant, business occupant, occupant or person in control of a premises or telephone equipment, including wireless cellphones, from which such false E911 calls originate shall be issued a citation and be subject to a forfeiture as provided in Section 1-1-6. No citation shall be issued nor forfeiture assessed for the first two (2) false E911 calls in a calendary year (January 1 - December 31).