The purpose of this article is to provide emergency access to specific areas of buildings, fire suppression equipment, fire alarm equipment, building systems and information specified by the Chief Fire Marshal, for use by the Fire Department at the time of an emergency or a reported emergency.
As used in this article, the following terms shall have the meanings indicated:
INFORMATION STORAGE CABINET
A cabinet-style vault approved by the Chief Fire Marshal installed in an accessible location for the purpose of containing information and documents related to the storage of hazardous materials, site plans, building plans, emergency notification information or any other information required by the Chief Fire Marshal, deemed to be pertinent to the operations of the responding Fire Department.
KEY LOCK BOX
A container of a type approved by the Chief Fire Marshal installed in an accessible location for the purpose of containing keys to gain necessary access to areas of premises.
The Chief Fire Marshal shall survey or cause to be surveyed each establishment, except the interior of one- and two-family dwellings, and shall specify what key lock box or information storage cabinet shall be provided. In special occupancies more than one key lock box, information storage cabinet or combination thereof may be required.
Key lock boxes, information storage cabinets or combinations thereof which have been installed in compliance with any permit or order, or because of any local law, shall be maintained in operative condition at all times, and it shall be unlawful for any owner or occupant to reduce the effectiveness of any emergency access system so required, except this shall not prohibit the owner or occupant from temporarily reducing the use of an emergency access system to make repairs or alterations. The Division of Fire Prevention shall be notified before alterations or repairs are made.
All key lock boxes and information storage cabinets shall be equipped with single-lock cylinders. In no case shall any person or entity, other than an Islip Town Fire Marshal or a member of a Fire Department protecting the subject premises, be issued, possess or use any key intended to operate the Fire Department lock cylinder on any key lock box or information storage cabinet.
This article shall not apply to: one- or two-family dwellings; shopping centers with fewer than four tenant spaces, unless served by a common fire alarm system, sprinkler system or any occupant is a hazardous materials permittee; freestanding mercantile occupancies unless occupant is a hazardous materials permittee; other occupancies as determined by the Chief Fire Marshal.