Servicing, repairing, maintaining or installing a Fire Alarm system? You must notify the Edmonton Fire Drill Line at 780-414-7332.
As Edmonton grows, Edmonton Fire Rescue Services (EFRS) is continually evaluating its resources to meet the needs of the community. With the increasing need for services and limited resource growth, EFRS focuses on ensuring the right resources are available while providing value to the community.
EFRS found that approximately 90% of alarm calls that were responded to required no emergency response, and the alarms were considered unwanted alarms. An unwanted alarm means the activation of a Fire Alarm System at any type of property, regardless of how it was caused, resulting in a fire rescue services response where no actual danger or possible danger to the safety, health and welfare of people, property or the environment exists.
Unwanted alarm calls impact Edmonton Fire’s response to actual emergencies and create complacent public behaviour towards potential emergencies. Reducing the number of unwanted alarms will continue to decrease call volumes and focus the frontline fire service on the calls where emergency response makes the most impact.
Submitting an Unwanted Alarm Fee - Waiver Request
Submit your request online within 14 days of receiving the invoice, and provide evidence that supports your submission.
Unwanted Alarm
- No person, including an owner or an alarm business, shall cause, whether directly or indirectly, or permit an Unwanted Alarm.
- No person shall provide false or misleading information about the activation of a Fire Alarm System to a member.
Notification of Work
If you’re going to do anything that could activate your alarm system without it being an emergency, Edmonton Fire must be notified.
Where there is a Fire Alarm System on the property, and the owner intends to undertake, or allow the undertaking of any service, test, repair, maintenance, adjustment, alteration or installation of that system which might activate an Unwanted Alarm, before the work occurs:
- The owner must notify the City directly through the Fire Drill Line at 780-414-7332
- Where an alarm business is responsible for the Fire Alarm System, the owner must notify the business. The alarm business must notify the City directly through the Fire Drill Line at 780-414-7332
Reducing Unwanted Alarms
- Notify EFRS when testing, repairing, maintaining, or installing a fire alarm system
- Regular maintenance of your Fire Alarm System
- Be proactive during construction and renovations
- Monitor cooking areas closely - do not leave cooking unattended
- Make sure exhaust fans are functioning and being used properly
- Be sure the right people are inspecting and maintaining your system
- Install surge protectors in your system
- Installing security cameras and pull station covers
- Don’t let dust build up on detectors
- Allow smoking only in designated locations
Fees
“Unwanted Alarm Fee” means the amount determined by the City Manager payable for the fire rescue services response to an Unwanted Alarm.
Upon a second or any subsequent occurrence of an Unwanted Alarm during any consecutive 12-month period, the City Manager may provide the owner with an invoice setting out the Unwanted Alarm Fee owing and directions for payment.
| Residential | Non Residential | |
|---|---|---|
| First response at the same premises during any consecutive 12 month period. | no charge | no charge |
| Second response at the same premises during any consecutive 12 month period. | $102.97 | $396.30 |
| Third response at the same premises during any consecutive 12 month period. | $506.45 | $789.01 |
| Fourth and each subsequent response at the same premises during any consecutive 12 month period. | $1,008.12 | $1,575.63 |
How much are the fees associated with security alarms?
| Residential | Non-Residential |
|---|---|
| $1,008.12 | $1,575.63 |
Frequently Asked Questions
- Regular maintenance of your fire alarm system
- Know your system and understand the types of responses that may occur
- Read your owner/operator manual and understand how to avoid accidental activations.
- Contact your monitoring company and ensure you have set up the right response for the right type of alarm, for example, an intrusion alarm (glass break, motion sensors, break and enter) should not trigger a Fire Rescue response.
- See Edmonton Police Services to comply with their Alarm Permit Bylaw
- Be proactive during construction and renovations
- Ensure proper fire alarm system installation
- Monitor cooking areas closely
- Make sure exhaust fans are functioning and being used properly
- Be sure the right people are inspecting and maintaining your system.
- Install surge protectors in your system
- Installing security cameras and pull station covers
- Don’t let dust build up on detectors
- Allow smoking only in designated locations
An unwanted alarm means the activation of a Fire Alarm System to any type of property, regardless of how caused, as a result of which a fire rescue services response is provided where no actual danger or possible danger to the safety, health and welfare of people, property or the environment exists
Malicious Alarm: An unwanted activation of an alarm-initiating device caused by a person acting with malice.
Nuisance Alarm: An unwanted activation of a signalling system or an alarm-initiating device in response to a stimulus or condition that is not the result of a potentially hazardous condition
Unintentional Alarm: An unwanted activation of an alarm-initiating device caused by a person acting without malice.
Unknown Alarm: An unwanted activation of an alarm-initiating device or system output function where the cause has not been identified.
A Fire Alarm System means any mechanical or electrical device which is designed or used for the detection and alert of heat, smoke or fire.
A security alarm means an alarm system intended to detect unauthorized entry to a premises or to alert people to the commission of an unlawful act, or both.
Payment instructions will be provided on the invoice received.
Ensure those in care and control of the property understand the roles and responsibilities surrounding unwanted alarms and how to prevent them.
An Edmonton Fire response occurs when a fire alarm system is activated. There may be times when a property has its alarm system programmed to activate a fire response and police response when an intrusion alarm occurs (for example break and enter). Alarm system users should discuss responses with their monitoring companies and ensure Edmonton Fire Rescue is not dispatched for an intrusion or glass break alarm.
Submit an Unwanted Alarm Fine Waiver Request online within 14 days of receiving the invoice, and provide evidence that supports your submission. A review will be conducted and a response provided within 60 days of the date the City has received the evidence.
Anyone who intends to undertake or allow the undertaking of any service to:
- Test
- Repair
- Conduct maintenance
- Make adjustments
- System alterations or
- Installations
Must notify the City prior to the service being performed, directly through the Fire Drill Line at 780-414-7332.
Contact Us
Fire Drill Line
Phone 780-414-7332