§ 70-27. Definitions.

The following words, terms and phrases, when used in this article, shall have the meanings ascribed to them in this section, except where the text clearly indicates a different meaning:

Alarm administrator means a person or persons designated by the City of Atlanta to administer, control and review false alarm reduction efforts and administer the provisions of this article.

Alarm company means any business, whether operated by an individual, partnership, corporation or other entity, which is in the business of selling, leasing, maintaining, servicing, repairing, altering, replacing, moving, installing or monitoring alarm systems at an alarm site.

Alarm permit means a permit issued by the City of Atlanta allowing the operating of an alarm system within the City of Atlanta.

Alarm system means any mechanized and/or electronic device or set of devices intended to detect and signal the occurrence of activity requiring the immediate need for emergency services at the premises in which such device or set of devices is installed. For purposes of this article, alarm system does not mean any such device or set of devices installed operated or maintained pursuant to chapter 78 of the City of Atlanta Code of Ordinances.

Alarm user means, with respect to any premises, any person, corporation, partnership, or proprietorship or other entity, who owns, leases, an alarm system or on whose premises an alarm system is maintained for the protection of such premises.

Alarm user awareness class means a class conducted for the purpose of educating alarm users about the responsible use, operation, and maintenance of alarm systems and the problems created by false alarms.

Automatic dialer or auto-dialer means any electrical, electronic, mechanical or other device capable of being programmed to send a prerecorded voice message when activated over a telephone line, radio or other communication system requesting emergency dispatch.

Cancellation means the process where response is terminated when the alarm company (designated by the alarm user) notifies the emergency communications center that there is not an existing situation at the alarm site requiring police response after an alarm dispatch request. If cancellation occurs prior to the Atlanta Police Department or the Atlanta Fire Rescue Department arriving at the scene, this is not a false alarm for the purpose of civil penalty, and no such penalty will be assessed.

Duress alarm means a silent alarm system signal generated by the manual activation of a device intended to signal a life-threatening situation or crime in progress requiring law enforcement response.

Emergency communication center means the City of Atlanta 911 Center.

Emergency dispatch means Atlanta Police Department and/or Atlanta Fire Rescue Department dispatch.

Emergency response means Atlanta Police Department and/or Atlanta Fire Rescue Department response.

False alarm means the activation of an alarm system to summon emergency personnel which occurs as a result of mechanical or electronic failure, malfunction, improper installation, or the negligence of the alarm user, his/her employees or agents, unless the request for response was cancelled by the alarm user or his/her agent before the Atlanta Police Department or the Atlanta Fire Rescue Department arrives at the alarm site. An alarm is false within the meaning of this article when, upon inspection by the Atlanta Police Department or the Atlanta Fire Rescue Department evidence indicates that no unauthorized entry, robbery, other such crime was committed, attempted, or occurred in or on the premises, which would have activated a properly functioning alarm system, or no fire occurred which would have activated a properly functioning alarm system. Notwithstanding the foregoing, 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 or alarm system. In addition, an alarm activated during an alarm system testing procedure shall not be considered a false alarm if the alarm user first notifies and receives permission from the user's alarm company, or designee, to test the system and the alarm company upon receiving such permission does not request emergency dispatch.

Local alarm means an alarm system that emits a signal at an alarm site that is audible or visible from the exterior of a structure and is not monitored by a remote monitoring facility, whether installed by an alarm company or user.

Permit year means a 12-month period beginning on the day and month on which an alarm permit is issued.

Runaway alarm means an alarm system that produces repeated alarm signals that do not appear to be caused by separate human action. Either the Atlanta Police Department or the Atlanta Fire Rescue Department may in its respective discretion discontinue responses to alarm signals from what appears to be a runaway alarm.

SIA Control Panel Standard CP-OI means the American National Standard Institute (ANSI) approved Security Industry Association (SIA) CP-OI Control Panel Standard, as may be updated from time to time, that details recommended design features for security system control panels and their associated arming and disarming devices to reduce false alarms. Control panels built and tested to this standard by Underwriters Laboratory (UL), or other nationally recognized testing organizations, will be marked to state: "Design evaluated in accordance with SIA P-01 Control Panel Standard Features for False Alarm Reduction".

Verify means an attempt by the monitoring company, or its representative, to contact the alarm site and/or alarm user by telephone and/or other electronic means, whether or not actual contact with a person is made, to attempt to determine whether an alarm signal is valid before requesting the Atlanta Police Department or the Atlanta Fire Rescue Department for dispatch, in an attempt to avoid an unnecessary alarm dispatch request. For the purpose of this section, telephone verification shall require, as a minimum that a second call be made to a different number if the first attempt fails to reach an alarm user who can properly identify themselves to attempt to determine whether an alarm signal is valid before requesting emergency dispatch.

(Ord. No. 2013-23(12-O-0375), § 1, 5-29-13, eff. 9-15-13)