False Alarm Bylaw Update

Courtesy of the City of Williams Lake:

At its May 7 meeting, Williams Lake City Council received an update on the Security Alarm Systems Bylaw, implemented in 2010, and gave first three readings to amendments to the bylaw. Since the implementation of the Bylaw requiring all monitored alarms in the City to be registered, the Williams Lake RCMP have seen an overall reduction in the number of false alarms. Before implementing the bylaw, false alarms costs totaled approximately $150,000. False alarm calls to the Williams Lake RCMP have dropped by one-third since 2010, from 850 to 565 in 2012. False alarm calls to the Williams Lake Fire Department have seen a slight increase, which is attributable to a small number of businesses with alarm problems. Through its fee schedule, the bylaw allows the City to recoup some of the costs of responding to these false alarms. No costs were recovered before the implementation of the bylaw.

The primary proposed change to the bylaw is to remove an exemption from a fee in cases where the alarm has been cancelled prior to the RCMP or Williams Lake Fire Department arrival and within five minutes from the time of dispatch to the RCMP patrol unit or the Fire Department. All false alarms, whether cancelled immediately or not, will be assessed a fee. There is no delay in responding to these false alarms, and within the first 5 minutes a response has already been initiated and expenses have already been incurred.

“The bylaw has been effective in reducing the number of false alarms, which saves our emergency responders precious time and resources,” says Williams Lake Mayor Kerry Cook. “We also recognize that monitored alarm holders may have to be more diligent about their alarm systems to avoid unnecessary calls to dispatch the fire department.”

Fire department costs to respond to false alarms are estimated at approximately $22,000 a year. RCMP costs to respond to false alarms are estimated at approximately $56,000.

Monitored alarm owners are reminded that registration every year by February 28 is mandatory. The fee is $15 for residential alarm systems and $20 for commercial and other alarm systems. Fees for excessive false alarms will be charged after three false alarms in a 365-day period. The fees for residential and non-residential users start at $100 at the third false alarm, and increase to a maximum of $300 for five or more false alarm calls in a one-year period. It is important to note that emergency service providers will continue to respond to all alarms, regardless of how many fees have been assessed at an address.

Information on how to reduce false alarms is attached to this media release. For more information on the bylaw or how to reduce false alarms, please contact the Bylaw Department at 250-392-2311.

In addition, Williams Lake City Council has authorized the installation of four “No Overnight Parking” restricted parking signs on Borland Street between First Avenue and Mackenzie Avenue