The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this chapter, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the context clearly indicates a different meaning:
ALARM BUSINESS: Any person or firm engaged in the business of installing, assisting in the installation, servicing, maintaining, repairing, replacing, moving, or removing alarm systems in the city.
ALARM COORDINATOR: A person at city hall who issues permits.
ALARM REVIEW BOARD: Shall consist of the police chief and the fire chief.
ALARM SITE: A single premises or location served by an alarm system or systems.
ALARM SYSTEM: Any mechanism, equipment or device which is designed to detect the presence of a fire, or an unauthorized entry or activity in any building or on any property, or to direct attention to a fire, robbery, burglary, or other emergency in progress, and to signal the above occurrences either by a local or audible alarm or by a silent or remote alarm, directly or indirectly to the police or fire department.
The following devices shall not constitute alarm systems within the meaning of this chapter:
A. Devices which do not activate alarms that are audible, visible, or perceptible outside the protected premises;
B. Devices which are not installed, operated or used for the purpose of reporting an emergency, either directly or by third party, to the police or fire department;
C. Alarm devices affixed to motor vehicles;
D. Alarm devices installed on a temporary basis by the police or fire department and alarm devices installed in or on premises owned or leased by the city.
ANSWERING SERVICE: A telephone answering service providing, among its services, the receiving, on a continuous basis through trained employees, of emergency signals from alarm systems and the subsequent relaying of said messages to the police or fire department on a person to person basis.
APPLICANT: Any person who has requested or is requesting an owner or user permit to install, operate or maintain an alarm system at a particular location.
AUTOMATIC DIALING DEVICE: An alarm system which automatically sends over regular telephone lines, by direct connection or otherwise, any type of communication or message indicating the existence of an emergency situation that the alarm system is designed to detect.
CENTRAL STATION: An office to which alarm systems are connected, where operators supervise the circuits, and where guards and/or servicemen are maintained continuously to investigate signals. For purposes of fire alarms, informational relay systems shall be in compliance with the National Fire Protection Association (hereinafter "NFPA") standards as set forth in NFPA 71, central station signaling systems, NFPA 72A, local protective signaling systems, NFPA 72B, auxiliary protective signaling systems, or NFPA 72C, remote station protective signaling systems.
DIRECT LINE: A telephone line leading directly from a central station to the police or fire department, where such line is used only to report emergency signals on a person to person basis.
EMERGENCY: The existence of a fire, the commission or attempted commission of a robbery, burglary or other criminal action.
EMPLOYEE: Any person who is employed by an alarm business and who installs, services, maintains, repairs or replaces alarm systems in the city.
FALSE ALARM: The activation of an alarm system through mechanical failure, malfunction, the negligence of the alarm business operator or his employees or agents, or the negligence of the owner, user or lessee of an alarm or his employees or agents, or which otherwise elicits a response by a law enforcement agency or the fire department when a situation requiring such response does not in fact exist. A false alarm shall also mean the activation of an alarm, the purpose of which is to communicate or indicate a specific emergency situation, when in fact that specific emergency situation does not exist. Such terminology does not include, for example, alarms activated by utility line mishaps, tornados, earthquakes, or other violent conditions of nature, or other conditions clearly beyond the control of the alarm manufacturer, installer, owner or user.
MODIFIED CENTRAL STATION: An office to which alarm systems are connected, where operators supervise the circuits but where guards are not maintained to investigate alarm signals.
PERMITTEE: Any person or designated persons to whom an alarm system owner or user permit is issued.
PERSON OR DESIGNATED PERSON: An individual, corporation, partnership, trust and/or association, joint venture and their respective agents or any other person or entity who has real or apparent interest, responsibility and/or control over the alarm premises. (Ord. 1069 §1, 2009)