Eureka, Calif., Expected to Adopt Alarm Fees, False Alarm Fines

Jan. 4, 2005
City moves to permitting, false alarm fine structure to help reduce emergency responses

At the Tuesday, Jan. 4 meeting of Eureka, Calif.'s city council meeting, council members are expected to pass an ordinance that will address the city's annual count of approximately 2,000 false alarms, according to The Times-Standard and the published city council agenda.

According to the newspaper and the agenda, initial registration for alarms will be set at $20, with annual renewals costing $10.

The first two false alarms within any six-month period will not require alarm owners to pay a fine, but it is proposed that the response to the third false alarm will cost the owner between $25 and $50. A fourth response to a false alarm will cost between $50 and $200.

"Institutional" facilities such as hospitals will also be exempt for the first two false alerts, and fines are proposed for the third response at $100 and at $400 for the fourth.

The report in The Times-Standard also mentions a $100 late application fee and a $200 reinstatement fee.

The agenda clearly spells out the changes as being an initiative to reduce false alarms.