HELEN - Businesses and homeowners in Helen who have malfunctioning alarm systems, take notice.
The Helen City Commission has approved the first reading of a new false alarm ordinance that would begin imposing fines for the third false alarm summoning police and for the second false fire alarm within a year.
If approved, the ordinance would levy the following fines for false alarms summoning police:
* First and second false alarms - no charge;
* Third through fifth false alarms - $50;
* Sixth false alarm - $100;
* Seventh false alarm - $150;
* Eighth false alarm - $250;
* Ninth false alarm - $350; and
* Tenth and subsequent false alarms - $500.
Excessive false alarms summoning the fire department would result in the following fines:
* First false fire alarm - no charge;
* Second through ninth false fire alarms - $250;
* Tenth and subsequent false fire alarms - $500.
As defined in the ordinance, "false alarm means the activation of an alarm system to summon a public safety department, which occurs as a result of mechanical or electronic failure, malfunction, improper installation, or the negligence of the alarm user or his/her employees or agents, unless the request for response was cancelled by the alarm user or his/her agent before a public safety department arrives at the alarm location."
There are some exemptions.
"... a false alarm shall not include an alarm which can reasonably be determined to have been caused or activated by violent conditions of nature, nor does it include other extraordinary circumstances not reasonably subject to control by the alarm user," the ordinance states.
Helen Police Chief Brian Stephens explained why the ordinance is important.
"The reason this ordinance came about is the increase in alarm calls - false alarm calls - that the officers are answering," Stephens said. "Some businesses are repeat offenders to where we are constantly out there three or four times a week."
Stephens said sometime a business owner or keyholder is on site and other times officers are unable to reach anyone associated with the premises.
"It ties up an officer," Stephens said. "There may be another alarm going off somewhere, or other criminal activity taking place, and we have that officer at this false alarm being tied up trying to clear it. Even though the alarm goes off, the officer is still required to get out and check the building, go around and try to make contact with a keyholder, so it does tie him up for sometimes just a few minutes and other times an extended period of time. That's what we're trying to cut down on."
Stephens stressed city officials are not targeting the resident or merchant who experiences an occasional false alarm, but are addressing a chronic problem with others.
"A lot of times the ones that are repeat offenders don't bother to have their alarms checked," Stephens said. "They just turn them off and turn them back on, and we start receiving false alarm calls again."
Stephens and city leaders said tying up the city's limited resources, such as the police officer(s) on duty or the fire engine and firefighters, on false alarms leaves the city less protected in other area.
"We also have some that have a fire alarm," Stephens said. "The fire engines have to respond out there. ... Then you've got a bunch of firemen out of service, along with an engine that's out of service while they check - going over the residence, going over the business - making sure there's no smoke, that it is in fact a false alarm."
The bottom line is people with aging and malfunctioning alarms that activate frequently - often several times in a week - need to have their alarm systems repaired to reduce the impact on Helen public safety personnel.
"False alarms are going to happen," Stephens said. "This is geared toward the ones that are constantly taking place and not for the occasional false alarm. That's not what this ordinance is for. It's for those who won't fix an alarm system."
Under the ordinance, citations issued would remain in the jurisdiction of Helen Municipal Court.
A second reading of the ordinance, with possible adoption, could occur at the city commission's next meeting at 3 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 15.
