648.09 MAKING FALSE ALARMS.

   (a)   No person shall do any of the following:

      (1)   Initiate or circulate a report or warning of an alleged or impending fire, explosion, crime or other catastrophe, knowing that the report or warning is false and likely to cause public inconvenience or alarm;

      (2)   Knowingly cause a false alarm of fire or other emergency to be transmitted to or within any organization, public or private, for dealing with emergencies involving a risk of physical harm to persons or property;

      (3)   Report to any law enforcement agency an alleged offense or other incident within its concern, knowing that such offense did not occur.

      (4)    Initiate or circulate a report or warning of an alleged or impending fire, explosion, crime, or other catastrophe, knowing that the report or warning is false and likely to impede the operation of a critical infrastructure facility.

   (b)   This section does not apply to any person conducting an authorized fire or emergency drill.

   (c)   Whoever violates this section is guilty of making false alarms, a misdemeanor of the first degree. If a violation of this section results in economic harm of one thousand dollars ($1,000) or more, or if a violation of this section pertains to a purported, threatened, or actual use of a weapon of mass destruction, making false alarms is a felony and shall be prosecuted under appropriate State law.

   (d)   Any act that is a violation of this section and any other section of the Codified Ordinances may be prosecuted under this section, the other section, or both sections.

   (e)    As used in this section:

      (1)   “Critical infrastructure facility” has the same meaning as in Ohio R.C. 2911.21.

      (2)   “Economic harm”and “weapon of mass destruction” have the same meaning as in Section 648.08. (ORC 2917.32)