Oglesby has updated its ordinance covering false fire alarms for the first time since 1980. Commissioner Terry Eutis says if there are two false alarms per year from an automatic fire alarm, there won’t be a charge. The third will cost $100, the fourth $150, and so on in $50 increments up to $1,000. Eutis doesn’t think it’ll go that far.
The ordinance update is happening because of one business that recently had six false alarms in one month. Eutis says false alarms cost the city money in fuel and wear and tear on fire trucks. They also risk having fire fighters tied up unnecessarily during real emergencies.