HomeMy WebLinkAbout1980 01-29 False alarms true problem THE DISPATCH False alaEms
true problem
By BETSY BECKER they don't have a system that
conforms to the(alarm)organi-
Staff Writer zation's standards."
SI* False alarms have increased Greavu said he thinks the city
at an alarming rate in Maple- should sit down with manufac-
wood. turers to work out problems.
To try to slow them down, The organization officials to
R.W.Schaller,director of public which he spoke said they would
safety,wants to charge$25 for like to see statewide regulations
responding to false burglar and of alarm systems,Schaller said,
fire alarms at places where they but to date,no one has taken it to
occur often. the state Legislature.
SCHALLER SAID that an- The proposed ordinance calls
swering false alarms ties up his for licensing of alarm companies
men an average of 45 minutes and sets up an annual fee for
each time.In 1978,he figured, places with alarm systems.
some 522 false alarms took 391 Alarms in single-family homes
hours. would be exempt.
In 1979,the number of false te,1'43.1.-4.1
alarms went up to 778.
Schaller asked the City Coun-
cil recently to adopt an ordi-
nance to regulate alarm sys-
tems,alarm use and alarm com-
panies.
The council gave the ordi-
nance a first reading,although
Mayor John Greavu dissented.
Schaller said the ordinance
would probably come up for a R1
second and final consideration at 9
the council meeting Feb. 7. 1
"WE DON'T want to talk peo-
ple out of using alarms,"he said
in an interview. "We want them
to use the alarms more responsi- t
bly.We want them to get the sys-
tems straightened out."
1
Some locations had more than
30 false alarms last year.
Schaller attributed most of the y
problems to either employee er-
ror or poor maintenance or in-
stallation of a system.
1
The public safety director
would charge businesses or mul- ;
tiple-family dwellings$25 a time
for false alarms that have more
than two false alarms in six
months.
Single-family homes would be
exempted from the fee. 0
1
GREAVU SAID at the council
meeting: "My biggest objection
is,how in the hell do you perfect
an alarm system?I agree we
need an alarm ordinance.But a
car on the street can set off
some of them."
Schaller responded:"Thep