Florida Fire District Charging for False Alarms

SANTA ROSA BEACH, Fla. -- The South Walton Fire District receives more than 500 false alarm calls a year that costs the district about $53,000.

Now, those responsible for multiple false alarms will face fines of up to $800 a call based on a new ordinance.

"We don't view this as a way to increase income, but more of an incentive for business owners with an alarm system to keep and maintain their system in a safe operational mode," said Sammy Sanchez, the fire marshal for the district.

In a study that covered the past four years, the fire district learned through using a formula from FEMA that it costs about $95 for 30 minutes every time a crew responds to a false alarm.

"That's for somebody just to show up and say, 'This is a false alarm,' or for somebody to show up and reset an alarm," Sanchez said. "Even if it's not an emergency we have to show up."

The ordinance took effect Saturday. Fines will be calculated every quarter.

The first false alarm is free. The second false alarm will cost $50 and the third false alarm will cost $100. Each succeeding alarm will cost $100 more through the sixth run. The seventh false alarm will cost $800.

Other fire departments such as Fort Walton Beach, Mary Esther and Holley-Navarre have adopted similar policies.

Holley-Navarre Fire Chief Ron Norton said his district's ordinance has been in effect since 2005. Fines are calculated every six months.

"We don't use it very often," Norton said. "But we do get a lot of false alarms. It's just a part of the job to go and see why the alarm went off. But every time you take the truck out it's putting the crew and those on the road at risk, so we want to prevent the unnecessary."

Norton said the false alarm fines bring in an average of about $5,000 a year.

Assistant Fire Chief David Birch with the East Niceville Fire Department said many departments have considered charging for false alarms, but few actually do.

"It's been one of those last resorts you think about every time a building has a false alarm," Birch said. "No one around here has had to do it before, but as the money tightens I could see it happening in some places. There are a lot of false alarms, but sometimes it's just something that happens."

Birch said a decision to charge for false alarms would not be taken lightly.

"It's not something fire chiefs like to do. We want a good eye with the people," he said. "It'll be interesting to see. It does seem to happen a lot that we're 'chasing smells and bells,' as the guys call it."

McClatchy-Tribune News Service