Allowing non-residents into these apartments has led to over 20 false alarms and broken locks in the last short while. (File photo/paNOW)

By Susan McNeil

False fire alarms

‘Something needs to be done fast’ – councillor raises fire alarm concerns

Dec 13, 2022 | 2:46 PM

An issue with people pulling fire alarms and allowing homeless people into an apartment complex has raised concerns for city council.

Councillor Charlene Miller, who has a family member living in Carlton Park Suites on 28^th Street, said there have been over 20 false alarms in the last while and residents no longer respond when they hear the alarms.

“Something needs to be done and something needs to be done fast,” she told other councillors at the regular meeting Monday evening.

In addition to having the fire department respond to false alarms, the hallways are facing continuous issues with dirt and debris when actual tenants allow others into the building.

Counc. Blake Edwards said he called Weidner, which owns the building, to ask them about the problems and was told that residents let homeless people in out of the cold.

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The locks are then damaged from the inside which means other homeless people have free reign to come and go.

For council, the safety of the residents, especially seniors or those with reduced mobility, is a serious concern.

“We need to do everything possible to keep those people safe and they are not right now,” Edwards said. “When people are scared to make phone calls and they’re scared to come out, that’s an issue.”

Mayor Greg Dionne said he will meet with the fire department and the company and re-iterated that there are consequences that will happen if the company does nothing.

“The owner admitted the locks have been broken and people are getting in,” he said. “We do charge for false alarms. They want to solve the problem too.”

As the cost of false alarms rises, Dionne said it makes increasing the amount of security more appealing for the company.

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susan.mcneil@pattisonmedia.com