Grand Rapids, Michigan, is tightening up on false fire alarms.
The city's newspaper, The Grand Rapids Press, reports that Grand Rapids' city commissioners are very close to approving a new fire alarm ordinance.
The proposed ordinance would apparently bill a fine for each false alarm, after two free, un-fined alarms.
The newspaper reports that the fees would start at $250 for the third false alarm in a calendar year, then $300, then $350 and finally $500 for the sixth false alarm.
Deputy Fire Chief Laura Knapp told The Grand Rapids press that the GRFD is seeing approximately 1,500 false fire alarms each year, and that the new ordinance would not consider "false" any alarm that was tripped by either smoke or heat, or a weather-related event.
The ordinance also requires that fire alarm systems be registered. Registering is free, but unregistered systems can be fined $100.
