PRESS RELEASE
September 4, 2018
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:
Sarah Henry, Public Information Officer
(510) 747-4714
Consistent with other Bay Area cities, the Alameda Fire Department (AFD) will begin billing residents and commercial building occupancies for fire responses to false alarms from built in and both monitored and unmonitored fire alarm systems starting Monday, October 1, 2018.
AFD defines a fire false alarm as “any fire alarm sounding situation where fire suppression activities are not needed upon arrival.”
In 2017, the AFD responded to over 400 fire false alarms, which create longer response times to true emergencies such as actual fires, water rescues, and victims of medical emergencies. The AFD relies on a rapid response model to all areas of our community, and when one or more fire apparatus are tied up on fire false alarms, other fire companies are called in, which delays help in arriving during an emergency. This can be very dangerous, as a residential fire will double in size every minute and irreversible brain damage will begin after four minutes if someone is not resuscitated quickly.
Fire alarms systems are required for most residential and commercial occupancies and are utilized to provide quick notice of a fire situation and to quickly exit the building for safety purposes. Many alarm systems are monitored and have a direct tie in to the AFD. It is vitally important to always call 9-1-1 when an alarm sounds. Highly trained AFD personnel will arrive on scene and ensure the building is safe to re-occupy and to help restore the alarm system back to a ready state.
In July, the Alameda City Council adopted the following fee schedule for fire false alarms that resets on a six month basis:
Residential
First alarm No charge
Second alarm $236.00
Third alarm $296.00
Fourth alarm $296.00
Each additional $606.00
Commercial
First alarm No charge
Second alarm $296.00
Third alarm $606.00, fire inspection*
Each additional $606.00
*A fire inspection will be initiated with the property or business owner to work on system improvements and prevent fire false alarms from reoccurring.
Fire Chief Edmond Rodriguez stated, “It is not the policy of the AFD to use the fire false alarm fine structure to develop revenue for the Department, but to act as a deterrent for false alarms and to assist property owners with having a fully functional system for their safety and property conservation.”
