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Kendallville, IN, Considers Alarm Fees

Every time Kendallville firefighters respond to a preventable false fire alarm at a business, industry even a home it costs the city money.

In 2007 the figure was approximately $1,250 for each run, according to fire chief Mike Riehm. This year’s cost hasn’t been tallied yet, but with $4 for regular gas and $5 for diesel, it’s a good bet the cost has gone up.

The issue is false fire alarms are preventable if businesses, industries and homeowners maintain their alarm systems.

Firefighters trained in responding to real emergencies don’t need to waste their time and risk their lives racing to a false fire alarm that happened because of dirt or faulty wiring in the system. This kind of oversight is costing the city money at a time when city officials trimming budgets and prioritizing expenditures.

More importantly, it could cost lives. While firefighters hurry to a preventable false alarm, they could have received a ligitimate alarm call at the same time, splitting their resources when all available resources are needed.

Riehm, Mayor Suzanne Handshoe and City Council have had enough. They’re doing what other communities have been doing for 25 years. Council is considering an ordinance with fines for businesses, industries and homeowners reporting preventable false alarms. This week council approved the ordinance on first reading. The ordinance will be eligible for second reading on Aug. 5.

The key word in this legislation is “preventable.” Accidental trips are exempt from a $500 fine, and so are manual activation of alarms where a fire is believed to exist. Natural occurrences like thunderstorms with lightning and earthquakes may also inadvertently activate alarms.

“It’s not to get money for alarms,” said Riehm. “It’s to encourage businesses to do maintenance on their alarms so we don’t have false alarms.”

Handshoe said most communities have had an alarm ordinance for 20 to 25 years. “False alarms are stressful on the department, to call in volunteers and the gas expended to get to the scene.”

Sometimes the fire department goes to the same industry five times in one day. Industries and businesses fail to notify the fire department when they’re working on their alarm systems, conducting fire drills or engaging in activities like painting, welding, cleaning and cooking which could activate a fire alarm detector.

When a preventable fire department response to a fire alarm has occurred, the responsible party must make a written report to the fire chief explaining the fire alarm and corrective action to prevent it in the future, according to the ordinance.

The fire department must be notified when a fire alarm system is temporarily out of service. Any alarm found out of service without the fire chief’s written consent may subject the responsible party to a fine. “If we find a faulty alarm system due to poor maintenance, we tell them to fix it and maintain it,” said Riehm.

The ordinance also spells out where new fire alarm panels should be located in a building for easy accessibility.

On every fire run Kendallville sends a fire engine, a rescue truck, the Tower truck and a group of full-time and volunteer firefighters. More equipment and manpower can be sent if needed. “Preventable false alarms costs industry in lost production because employees are evacuated,” said Riehm. “They’re costly to business, and costly to us.”