(A) False alarm.
(1) There shall be no penalty imposed for the first or second false alarms within any calendar year which shall run from January 1 to December 31
(2) The following penalties shall be imposed against the owner for the third and subsequent false alarms within any calendar year:
(a) First violation (third false alarm), minimum: residences $150; businesses $250;
(b) Second violation (fourth false alarm), minimum: residences $250; businesses $350;
(c) Third violation (fifth and subsequent false alarm), minimum for each: residences $350; businesses $500.
(3) Exemptions. The following are exempt from penalty for false alarm activations:
(a) Alarms activated by outside activity, such as breaking and entering, unlawful intrusion or fire condition;
(b) Alarms activated through systems testing where the same was pre-reported to the County Dispatch or directly to the fire department.
(c) Alarms activated as medical lifelines by those who depend upon such systems as a means of reporting a medical or other life-threatening emergency.
(d) Any alarm activation deemed as necessary by personnel of the county fire service following an investigation.
(e) Multiple alarms received within a single 24-hour period that were initiated from the same alarm-initiating device, and where the owner, lessee or manager of the premises has not had an opportunity to effect correction of a defective alarm system. Such multiple alarms shall constitute a singlealarm for the purpose of this chapter, including imposing a penalty.
(f) Any alarm activation system within any municipal boundaries except within the city limits of the City of Newberry.
(B) Failure to respond for a business.
(1) There shall be no penalty for the first failure to respond.
(2) After an alarm activation at a business, and when due and timely notice was given to the owner, lessee, manager or other predesignated person to respond, and where no such response was made or the person notified fails to respond within 1 hour after being notified, this shall be considered a FAILURE TO RESPOND, and the following penalties shall be imposed against the owner:
(a) First violation (second failure to respond), minimum: residences $150; businesses $250;
(b) Second violation (third failure to respond), minimum: residences $250; businesses $350;
(c) Third violation (fourth and subsequent failure to respond), minimum for each: residences $350; businesses $500.
(3) A written report for a failure to respond shall be filed with documentation with the County Emergency Management Director from the primary fire station. County Dispatch shall document that notification or attempts to notify were made with no response. Documentation must list the dates, times and person notified or where attempts were made to notify with no response,
(C) Billing.
(1) No portion of any monetary fine shall be suspended.
(2) The county shall bill penalties imposed against the owner on the first of each month and the bill shall be due and payable by the fifteenth of each month. All bills shall state that any bill not paid by the end of the month shall bear interest at the rate of 1.5% per month until paid. All bills that remain delinquent at the end of a calendar year along with the interest that has accrued during the calendar year shall become a lien that shall attach to the property that received the benefit of the service. The method provided in this section for the enforcement of the collection of past due fees shall not be the exclusive method of enforcing such collections, and the county may enforce the collection of any fee in any other lawful manner.
(Ord. 05-10-2022, passed 6-1-2022)