Residents of a downtown White Plains apartment building are voicing heightened safety concerns due to enduring numerous false fire alarms over the course of several months.
Residents at the Avalon say that the issue extends beyond mere quality of life, as they are deeply troubled about their safety. The alarms sound at various hours during the night, often multiple times a week and, at times, even multiple times within a single night. However, these alarms consistently prove to be false, with no actual fire or emergency present. They say it has been an ongoing situation for an extended period.
Concerns have also arisen due to the fact that the city's Public Safety Department must respond to each alarm occurrence, potentially diverting them from addressing a genuine emergency. Some residents have engaged in discussions with the building's management, who assured them of efforts to rectify the situation. Yet, an immediate resolution or explanation for the recurring issue was not provided, prompting them to reach out to News 12 for coverage.
Given the frequency of these alarm activations, many individuals have grown accustomed to dismissing them as non-threatening and subsequently choose not to evacuate. This nonchalant attitude poses a significant concern, as one resident named Analisa B. articulated.
"What if there is a real fire? Nobody is going to come down when there is a real fire, and that's alarming that now they're putting our lives at risk because nobody takes these alarms seriously anymore,” she says.
Although attempts were made to contact the management, there has been no response regarding the measures being undertaken to resolve the problem. In the meantime, it's noteworthy that in accordance with the White Plains fire code, management can be fined for each false alarm occurrence. The fine starts at $25 for the first instance and can escalate up to $250 after the eleventh false alarm.