Knox Box Ordinances

[Remember585 815]

Just wondering what municipalities have any kind of code / ordinance / law pertaining to Knox Boxes. I know of some, just wondering who has something and whether it is enforced.

Also curious to know how hard it was for fire departments to push the use of these.

Thanks.

[TR54 239]

Just wondering what municipalities have any kind of code / ordinance / law pertaining to Knox Boxes. I know of some, just wondering who has something and whether it is enforced.

Also curious to know how hard it was for fire departments to push the use of these.

Thanks.

Knox Boxes have been in place for more than 15 years in our district. The Town Ordinace is written to have any new business obtain a knox box at the time a certificate of occupancy is signed. Other commercial store owners have been encouraged by a form letter explaining how the system works and how it could save the cost of damage due to forcing entry. In the past few weeks a new box was installed at day camp with no resistance. Our Building dept hands out the offical knox box catalog and order form. Its a great program !

[Bnechis 3,961]

You do not need a town ordinance as the Building official has the right to require it under the NYSUFP&BC.

Based on the occupancy we require them (when new permits are requested) but we strongly recommend them to everyone.

I found it is pretty easy to convince owners. I met with one condo board (they had 2 4 story MD) and suggested a knox box and why. THey said they did not want to spend the money on it and I explained that with their new door buzzer system we could not get buzzed in unless we knew the name of the caller (not the apt.) and since we rarely knew that, we would have to force our way in and that would cost a lot more.

3 weeks later, I responded there for a man down. We could not get buzzed in, so we forced the door. The next day they called to get the knox application. About a year later I responded there again on an assist and found the CO-OP board pres. on the floor and when he asked if we broke the door again, I said no...we used the knox key. He later told me he forgot they had added it.

[ja3kfd 34]

Town of Bedford has one . If you want more info PM me. has been working out well so far.

[dashield 61]

FIre Code section 506.1 allows the code enforcement official to require the installation of a Knox box. In my town any new commercial building or multi-family we require the installation of a box. Also, if the Fire Dept has a issue with a key holder not being available we will require the installation of a box. Like Capt Benchis has explained, it is usually very easy to persuade someone to get a Knox box, the cost to repair damage from for ing the door just once usually exceeds the cost of a Knox box.

[wraftery 1,275]

You do not need a town ordinance as the Building official has the right to require it under the NYSUFP&BC.

Based on the occupancy we require them (when new permits are requested) but we strongly recommend them to everyone.

I found it is pretty easy to convince owners. I met with one condo board (they had 2 4 story MD) and suggested a knox box and why. THey said they did not want to spend the money on it and I explained that with their new door buzzer system we could not get buzzed in unless we knew the name of the caller (not the apt.) and since we rarely knew that, we would have to force our way in and that would cost a lot more.

3 weeks later, I responded there for a man down. We could not get buzzed in, so we forced the door. The next day they called to get the knox application. About a year later I responded there again on an assist and found the CO-OP board pres. on the floor and when he asked if we broke the door again, I said no...we used the knox key. He later told me he forgot they had added it.

Greenburgh has had an ordinance for quite some time now, but there are better ways to get them installed other than the code enforcement process:

1. Force a door. Like Barry says you only have to do this once and people usually comply.

2. Tell the store owner or manager that they will no longer have to come down to the store in their Jammies, at 2am, in 10 degrees, with a foot of snow on the ground. With a Knox Box, they only get a call that "we were there...everything is OK...we reset the alarm...you can stay in bed"

One problem though is when a business changes locks and forgets to change the keys in the Knox Box. It's a good idea to put it on your checklist to mention when doing company inspections. (You do do company inspections, don't you?)

Edited January 22, 2012 by wraftery

[WAS967 97]

I know in my town I inquired about Knox boxes and was told that there was no "system" (I'm guessing particular type?) of Knox box approved by the board (town or fire, not sure which) so they weren't in use. We sat outside a gym one night on an AFA for about a half an hour waiting for a gym member (also an FD member) to come down with an access card to get in. Entire time we could see the pulled box inside but nobody nearby. Concern was the possibility of a man down inside somewhere. (Don't ask me why the door wasn't forced). I think later on it was determined to be malicious. But situations like this and the one Barry brought up certainly highlight the need. And I love condo and HOA boards when they start nitpicking about costs/expenditures. SMH

[antiquefirelt 994]

Not NY but... Our ordinances require a Knox Box in all occupancies that have Fire Alarms Systems that report. They have one allowable exception that if you provide a list of 3 or more RP's that will arrive within 10 minutes of being called you may opt out, but at the peril of your property (FE on Doors) if we have any heightened suspicion of fire inside unoccupied structures and basically any alarm condition in occupied structures. That is to say we may wait for the RP if the building is "considered" unoccupied and there are no further signs of a problem inside and we won't wait to gain access to occupied structures. With the former, waiting, the officer has the ability to require entry at any time he/she feels this is in the best interest, considering the size of the buildings and the potential for no outward signs.

Edited January 23, 2012 by antiquefirelt

[antiquefirelt 994]

2. Tell the store owner or manager that they will no longer have to come down to the store in their Jammies, at 2am, in 10 degrees, with a foot of snow on the ground. With a Knox Box, they only get a call that "we were there...everything is OK...we reset the alarm...you can stay in bed"

A lot of FD's around us still do this, but we stopped this practice many moons ago. The concerns that led us to abandon not requiring RP's were: too often when there was a problem they still wouldn't come: "just lock it up and we'll take care of it tomorrow" and the second being, we don't want to be the last ones responsible for securing the property. It's far too easy for the owner to say something is missing or had an issue and the FD were the last ones in the building.