(A) (1) Experience shows that when fires and emergencies occur, the Fire Department needs rapid entry into the structure. Entry into the structure, in some cases, must be made by force and cannot wait for a key holder to be located and come to the scene.
(2) A Fire Department emergency key box shall be installed on all new buildings and properties in which entry or access into an area is unduly difficult due to secured openings and obstructed entry. Immediate access may be necessary in order to expedite entry into the structure to aid in the Fire Department task of life saving or hazardous conditions operations.
(B) The town, through its Fire Department, has instituted a key box emergency access system utilizing the Knox Rapid Entry Emergency Key Box, and for purposes of this chapter a KEY BOX SYSTEM shall be defined as the Knox Rapid Entry Emergency Key Box System, and all systems referenced herein shall be installed using the Knox System. Installation shall be required for any commercial or industrial building constructed after the date of the passage of the ordinance codified in this section, with the definition of commercial or industrial building to consist of business or industrial uses defined in the town’s Zoning Ordinance, if the building has one of the following:
(1) An automatic sprinkler system equipped with a local or transmitted water-flow alarm;
(2) Any fire alarm system equipped with an outside audible/visual signaling device; or
(3) Any fire alarm system where the alarm is transmitted to an offsite location or to the fire alarm center for the servicing Fire Department.
(C) (1) Key boxes are to be provided by the building owner and shall contain such keys necessary to access all protected areas of the building. Multi-tenant buildings may share an owner-provided box, and the building owner shall assume responsibility for ensuring that keys are updated as appropriate.
(2) Tenant-provided boxes may not be shared with any other tenant, and the tenant assumes responsibility for key updates for the subject tenant space. Exception: Key boxes for apartment houses are not required to contain keys to individual apartment dwelling units.
(D) (1) Existing commercial and industrial structures (those falling within zoning classifications of business, commercial or industrial uses as defined under the town’s Zoning Ordinance) are not required to be in compliance with the requirements of this section, however, in the event there is new construction consisting of additional square footage being added to any existing structure, and the requirements of division (B) above apply, then the terms of this section shall apply, and the owner of the structure must come in compliance with this section. Also, if any commercial or industrial structure, as defined by the town’s Zoning Ordinance, adds systems addressed under division (B) above, then it shall come into compliance with the terms of this section.
(2) When a design release is issued by the office of the State Building Commissioner or a permit by local government when a design release is not required for construction, buildings constructed prior to April 30, 1998 shall not be required to provide a key box or key boxes under this section. Any new tenancy within a space previously occupied by a different compliant tenant shall require that a key box be provided in accordance with divisions (A) and (B) above. Existing buildings required to install a key box or key boxes by this section shall not be in violation of this section until one year after the effective date of this section.
(E) For all structures not addressed in divisions (A) through (C) above, the Fire Chief and/or Building Inspector for the town shall require a Knox Rapid Entry Emergency Key Box System in all new construction or redevelopment of sites and properties and recommend voluntary compliance of this section in existing occupancies in the following instances:
(1) Buildings, regardless of use or occupancy, containing six or more occupancies within the same structure which uses a common external exit access;
(2) Any commercial or assembly structure without window openings and over 40 feet in depth. Openings, which are obstructed or covered to the extent that quick access or visibility to the inside is incorporated, shall not be considered windows;
(3) All buildings and occupancies having or required to have a fire alarm or sprinkler alarm system; or
(4) Hazardous materials information unit/location data unit: Each location required under federal, state, county or local regulation to report activities of on-site hazardous materials.
(F) (1) The installation, for purposes of compliance, shall be required from the date of execution of this section and first publication for all new construction or redevelopment of sites and properties.
(2) For hazardous materials sites, if required under federal, state, county or local regulation to report activities of on-site hazardous materials, then the site must be in compliance within 60 days from the date of publication of the ordinance codified in this section.
(G) (1) The town’s Fire Department shall be responsible for approving the location of the Knox Rapid Entry Emergency Key Box System on each site. The box shall be at or near the recognized public entrance, adjacent to the fire annunciator panel, on the exterior of the structure, or above the Fire Department connection (FDC) when occupancy is serviced by a fire sprinkler system with internal control valves and wall-mounted FDC. The box shall be at a height of not less than six feet and not more than eight feet above final grade.
(2) No steps, displays, signs or other fixtures or structure protrusions shall be located under the box that would allow intruders to access the box without assistance. The box shall be connected to the fire alarm control panel, when provided. Tampering or opening of the box shall produce a supervisory signal on the alarm control panel. The signal will be transmitted through the panel as a supervisory signal.
(H) The key box shall contain the keys for the following, all of which shall be labeled so as to be easily identified in the field:
(1) The main entrance door. Mixed occupancies and strip shopping center keys shall be provided only for occupancies where system control valves or fire alarm system panel exists;
(2) Alarm room (if one exists);
(3) Mechanical rooms, electrical rooms and sprinkler control rooms;
(4) Fire alarm control panel;
(5) Special keys to reset pull-stations or other fire protection devices;
(6) Elevator keys (if required); and
(7) Other rooms as specified.
(I) The Fire Chief and the Building Inspector shall be responsible for the administration of this section. All applications and permits for key boxes may be obtained by the property owner, business owner, manager, management companies or contractor from the Fire Department.
(Ord. 14, 2004, passed 7-20-2004) Penalty, see § 92.99