Tyco, Fire Districts Beat Chicago-Area Alarm Antitrust Suits

Tyco Integrated Security LLC and several Chicago-area fire agencies won’t have to face revived antitrust and constitutional claims over ordinances requiring fire alarms to signal the local 911 dispatcher directly.

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit affirmed dismissal of nearly all those claims July 15.

According to separate lawsuits by two competing alarm companies, Tyco had exclusive contracts, predating the ordinances, to provide local dispatchers with the equipment necessary to receive fire signals directly. Competing companies had to field calls directly and notify fire districts only after confirming the signals weren’t false alarms.

The ordinances therefore gave ...