It shall be unlawful for any person to negligently, maliciously or wilfully give any false alarm to any fire or police station through the use of any emergency alarm box, public or private telephone, or by any other means. (Ord. 88-15, 4-12-1988)
(A) False Alarm Service Charge:
1. Types Of False Alarms Charged: A fire alarm user shall be charged a service charge for each false fire alarm if such false fire alarm is:
(a) Given intentionally,
(b) Due or caused by a lack of required maintenance as specified in the National Fire Protection Association code section 72, or
(c) Resulting from any test, repair, alteration, or addition to the fire protection system without prior notification thereof to the village fire department.
2. Service Charge: A fire alarm user shall be charged a service charge for a false fire alarm as follows:
(a) First false alarm in a twelve (12) month period: Warning letter.
(b) Second false alarm in a twelve (12) month period: Two hundred dollars ($200.00).
(c) Each additional false alarm in a twelve (12) month period after two (2) false alarms shall result in a false fire alarm charge of at least five hundred dollars ($500.00), with each charge increasing by fifty dollars ($50.00) for each additional false alarm, not to exceed one thousand two hundred dollars ($1,200.00).
3. Out Of Service Alarm: If a fire alarm gives three (3) or more false fire alarms within a twelve (12) hour period, the Posen fire department reserves the right to place out of service the fire alarm system and may require a fire watch at its discretion. Any fire alarm placed out of service under this section must be repaired and placed back in service within the time period specified by the Posen fire department.
(B) Citations: The chief and/or assistant chief of the fire department shall be vested with the authority to issue a citation to be served upon the agent in charge of the property under this section setting forth the date, time, and place of each offense, the prior offenses within the preceding twelve (12) month period and the fine due within thirty (30) days after issuance of the citation.
(C) Suspension Of Offense: Within ten (10) days of receipt of a notice of violation the property or its representative may once during any twelve (12) month period request a review of the alleged offense and show any cause in mitigation. The chief and/or assistant chief shall have the right in their discretion to suspend one violation during a twelve (12) month period for a property owner or its agent upon a showing that appropriate steps have been taken to reduce the likelihood of a reoccurrence of the offense. A suspended offense shall be included in determining the total number of offenses in a twelve (12) month period under subsection (B) of this section.
(D) Reimbursement Of Costs: To the extent permitted by law, the village fire department shall seek reimbursement for all costs of collection of delinquent charges under this section not paid to the fire department within thirty (30) days of the issuance of a billing for said charges. Costs of collection may include all reasonable attorney fees and court costs incurred by the Posen fire department in proceedings to the extent permitted by law. (Ord. 94-05, 2-9-1994)