MuskogeePhoenix.com, Muskogee, OK

Editorials

Discussion

October 16, 2009

Curtailing false alarms

Muskogee businesses and institutions should do all they can to prevent false alarms. And as it is doing, the city should educate business owners and individuals about reducing the number of false alarms they call in.

A Phoenix story reported last week that false alarms, 263 from January to September this year, have cost taxpayers more than $50,000.

Nearly 30 percent of the false alarms occurred at Bacone College and Fair Haven Apartments.

The Muskogee fire chief said the two institutions are making a good faith effort to upgrade their systems and eliminate the false alarms. That’s what we would expect from any business or organization because false alarms cost us all and put firefighters at risk as they rush to an unnecessary call.

Some may advocate a fine or charge for excessive numbers of false call ins, but there are too many variables beyond the control of businesses and institutions to make a fee or fine fair.

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