West Deer considers stiffer penalties for false alarms

West Deer Supervisors are considering imposing harsher fines on people who own or maintain alarm systems that accidentally go off three or more times a year.

At a meeting last week, Supervisor Brandon Forbes suggested updating the existing ordinance to increase the fine for multiple false alarms to $100.

“You could have two false alarms and not receive a fine, but after two false alarms in a year period, you would receive a fine of $100,” Forbes said.

Under the current ordinance, if an alarm goes off one or two times after the first 30 days of instillation, no fee is required. If an alarm goes off three to five times per year, people are required to pay $30 per alarm. If an alarm goes off more than five times per year, the cost is $50 per alarm.

The updated ordinance would nix that tiered system, and make it so people would pay $100 each time a false alarm goes off more than two times per year. Alarms that go off within the first 30 days of instillation wouldn’t count.

Police Chief Jon Lape said responding to false alarms can put police officers at risk because they don’t know it’s a false alarm until they get to the scene.

In 2019, West Deer police officers responded to 132 false alarms for businesses, fires and residences. From January to July 31, they responded to 58 false alarms, according to Lape.

“I think it needs to be looked at. (It) doesn’t hurt,” Lape said of the proposed ordinance.

Forbes said responding to false alarms is an added cost to already cash-strapped volunteer fire companies.

The updated ordinance would define what constitutes a false alarm, and clarify that volunteer fire companies need to tell the township each time they respond to a false alarm.

Forbes said there have been repeat offenders, and this is a way to make sure they’re maintaining their alarm systems so they don’t become a distraction to public safety.

“Volunteer fire companies are struggling these days, making sure they have enough volunteers, having people to go respond to fires,” Forbes said. “When there are false alarms it’s just a drag on resources. Every time there’s an alarm, it’s pulling folks who are on call from their homes to respond to it.”

Forbes said, “We’ve had conversations with the volunteer fire company chiefs, with Chief (Jon) Lape, also. We’ve got the support of both public safety entities on this.”

Supervisor Beverly Jordan said it’s discouraging when volunteer firefighters get called to a scene only to find out it was a false alarm.

“I think for their benefit we need to back them on this, and kind of pursue this a little bit better than maybe we have in the past,” Jordan said.

Supervisors Chairman Arlind Karpuzi said the next step would be finalizing a proposed ordinance and advertising that the board is considering adopting it.

Solicitor Gavin Robb said he would present a proposed ordinance to supervisors in September.