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False alarms are a serious problem in Golden Gate and the rest of Collier County.

Fire Marshal William Silvester explains the problem in this article.

To learn more about penalties for false alarms, download our False Alarm Ordinance.

Taking the False Out of Alarm

Golden Gate Fire Control and Rescue District has experienced a tremendous amount of growth. Along with growth, the fire district has experienced a dramatic increase in calls for service. These calls for service include rendering emergency care for the sick and injured, responding to fires, providing public education programs and, of course, responding to fire alarms.

Fire alarms are systems designed for the single function of alerting people to danger for the purpose of evacuating the building in a safe manor. Most of the fire alarms that the fire district responds to are false. False alarms are not just a nuisance -- they result in delaying the arrival of emergency vehicles to true emergencies because they are tied up responding to false alarms. They also endanger the lives of firefighters and the general public because emergency vehicles respond with lights and sirens to fire alarms. The majority of false alarms are not confirmed false until after units have arrived on scene. Fire apparatus have also been involved in accidents returning to the station from false fire alarm activations.

Fire alarms can be caused by a number things including failure to maintain the system, small children pulling pull stations, furniture being bumped into pull stations while people are moving in or out, mechanical failure of the fire alarm system, dirty detection devices, systems being struck by lighting, people activating the system because they thought there was a fire, people who want non-fire related help, and through malicious acts.

Fire alarm systems are like your computer or car. If you do not take care of it, you will have constant problems until you properly fix the problem.

In an effort to reduce the risks and costs involved responding to false alarms, the Golden Gate Fire Control and Rescue District enacted a false alarm resolution that includes fees. The fees collected are used to cover the costs to taxpayers when we respond over and over again to the same locations because of false alarms.

Let me explain the fee schedule. The first time we respond to a false alarm, no user fee is assessed. If the district responds a second time within six months, a fee of $100 is assessed. If we respond again within six months, the fee is $250, and if we respond three times or more within six months the fee is $500 for each additional response. If the building alarm goes six months without a false alarm, that building gets a clean slate status.

Along with the fees, the building owner or management must complete a false alarm report. This report must be returned to the fire district within 20 days. The report includes information on why the alarm went off, the name of the alarm company making repairs, if required, and what corrective actions were taken to prevent future false alarms.

Now the big question: How can we prevent false alarms? Here are some tips that might help reduce or eliminate false fire alarms:

• Get your fire alarm system serviced annually. A proper maintenance program will help reduce the number of false alarms. This service should be completed by a state-licensed fire alarm service technician.
• If you are having a special event that might generate a false alarm, like the use of a smoke machine, notify your fire alarm monitoring company and notify the fire district of your event. Establish a fire watch while the fire alarm system is offline. Always make sure a system is put back online as soon as possible.
• If you have a problem with vandalism, such as children pulling the alarm pull station, or bumping into pull stations while moving, there are device covers that can help reduce the problem. They can send out a local alarm when the cover is opened while not activating the fire alarm.

These are just some of the items that can help reduce or eliminate false fire alarms.

Remember that false alarms not only cost us time and money -- they may cost a life. That life could be yours or someone in your family. Sadly, many people do not take proactive, preventative measures until the event affects them. By that time it could be too late. Constant false alarms make people ignore the alarm systems when there is an actual fire. Car alarms are another good example: How many people pay attention to them?

It is up to all of us to help prevent false alarms and keep everyone safe.