In news from Firehouse.com, the city of Framingham, Mass recently experienced some false fire alarms that wasted firefighter time and endangered first responders and citizens alike when trucks rolled to the site of the “emergency.”

However, that waste of resources and public endangerment was not the worse the part. Apparently, a local man had caused the false activations on purpose and then assaulted first responders on the scene.

The story notes that the false alarms, at least 2 or 3, were caused when a local “maliciously” pulled the pull station. Firefighters were shown phone video of the activations by a resident at the apartment building where the alarms were activated, according to the report.

“The alarm, they discovered had been maliciously pulled, at least two to three times,” the story reads. “A resident said they got a video of the man who pulled the alarm, and firefighters found [suspect Michael] Geyer nearby.”

When firefighters attempted to question Geyer as to why he’d pulled the pull station, he reportedly became irritated and swung at one firefighter and poked another in the eye, injuring him.

“Firefighters questioned Geyer. ‘He was very upset, and he began getting agitated and swung his arms around, [Prosecuter Bayley] Weese said. While swinging his arm, he poked a firefighter in his right eye,” the report says.

“The firefighter’s eye was left swollen with scratches on his eyeball.”
Geyer was arrested and charged him with assault and battery causing injury to a firefighter, two counts of tampering with a fire alarm, interfering with a firefighter and disorderly conduct.

Geyer is due in court in August for a pretrial conference.
While this case seems not too serious since there was no fire and no one was seriously injured, Norris condemns the alleged actions of the suspect. 
First responders are true heroes who put their lives in danger every day so that we might be safer and more secure. They deserve our humble respct and thanks.

That is why Norris has always had a special place in its heart for first responders and has helped to teach classes on fire alarms to firefighters to increase their knowledge and helped them do their important jobs better. Norris has also held special events to honor first responders and has helped out when families of fallen heroes were in need.

Norris salutes all first responders out there and, in the words of our co-founder, Brad Norris feels proud to do its part to make people safer:

“We are far from the heroes like the firefighters and police officers that put their lives on the line every day, but our systems may alert someone to a smoldering fire before it becomes an inferno and they may prevent a violent crime from occurring and all of us at Norris Inc. sleep better knowing we are doing our little part to make this a safer world.”

What is Norris all about?

Norris, Inc.—a South Portland, Maine-based life-safety and security systems integrator with satellite offices in Bangor, Maine; Lee, New Hampshire; and Burlington, Vermont—was founded nearly 40 years ago by two brothers, Brad and Harty Norris. The brothers remain on the board of directors today and continue to help steer the enterprise toward its goal of advancing life-safety, security, and communications while striving to grow in its status as Northern New England’s leading systems integrator. Norris provides fully integrated life-safety and security solutions, comprising disparate systems including fire alarm, intrusion detection, access control, video surveillance, communications, and emergency notification and total systems integration via the Vigilance Systems Integration Engine and ENS. Want to become part of the Norris family? We’re hiring!