A. Registration Of Alarm System Companies: Effective January 1, 2015, all alarm system companies will register with the city and pay an alarm system license fee to the city at the time of registration prior to the installation or maintenance of an alarm system in the city.
B. Registration Of Security Systems: All property owners will register their security system installed by an alarm system company registered and licensed by the city for each system located in the city. Effective January 1, 2015, all property owners will pay a fee for each new alarm system installed in the city.
C. Provide Contact Number To Company: The property owner or customer of the alarm system company will provide a primary and secondary contact telephone or cellphone number for the alarm company to contact when the alarm signal elicits notification to emergency services for a response by city fire, police, or designee.
D. Emergency Services: Except when the type of alarm system activated may make verification inappropriate (including robbery, fire, medical, and panic alarm signals), city emergency services, fire, police, or designee, will be put on alert by the Flathead County 911 Center when an alarm is received, but will not respond until the licensed alarm system company verifies the alarm first, at the premises and if no one is at the premises then only after the primary and/or secondary telephone contact has been contacted.
E. Response To Alarm: When requested to do so by city emergency services, fire, police, or designee, the alarm user, alarm responsible representative, or alarm agent shall respond to the premises of an activated alarm system within twenty (20) minutes for the purpose of assisting city emergency personnel in determining the reason for the activation, resetting the alarm system, and securing the premises. An alarm user, responsible representative, or alarm agent shall respond to the scene as expeditiously as safety permits, without unnecessary or unreasonable delay.
F. Interference With System: No person shall use the public fire alarm except when an alarm of fire is given, or with the permission of the chief or assistant chief of the fire department, nor shall any person injure, in any way, any of the fire alarm boxes, bells, poles, wires or other appliances connected with the public fire alarm system of the city.
G. Responsibility Of Payment For False Alarms: The registered property owner of the structure where emergency services or city equipment responds to the on premises alarm will be responsible for payment of all false alarm fees.
1. One false alarm by the same system in a running twelve (12) month period will not be charged a false alarm fee.
2. After the second false alarm by the same system in a running twelve (12) month period, the property owner or customer will provide a certificate verifying that the city licensed alarm system company has inspected the system and found the system is functioning properly or has been repaired and is now functioning properly. Until the certification is completed and submitted to emergency services there will be no response by emergency services unless the chief of police, fire chief, or designee orders an immediate police or fire response when an in person call, verification from a person at or near the premises, or other independent evidence shows a need for immediate police or fire assistance at the premises.
3. After the third and subsequent false alarm by the same system in a running twelve (12) month period, the property owner or customer will be notified of the amount of the false alarm fee.
H. False Alarm Fee: A false alarm fee will be charged by the city when emergency services or city equipment responds to a false emergency services, fire, or police alarm reported from the same system within a running twelve (12) month period. (Ord. 14-09, 9-15-2014)