[HISTORY: Adopted by the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Hopatcong as indicated in article histories. Amendments noted where applicable.]
[Adopted 9-20-2023 by Ord. No. 23-2023]
A. 
The Council of the Borough of Hopatcong determined that the health, welfare and safety of the citizens and business owners of the Borough of Hopatcong are promoted by requiring certain structures to have a key Knox-Box® installed on the exterior of the structure to aid the Hopatcong Volunteer Fire Department in gaining access to or within a structure when responding to calls for an emergency service, and to aid access into or within a building that is secured or into which it is unduly difficult to gain entry due either to being unoccupied or to the occupants being unable to respond.
B. 
Experience has shown when fires occur in buildings, the Fire Department must make entry into the structure, locate, confine, control and extinguishment the fire. Further, fires within buildings are not always readily evident from the outside when the Fire Department arrives. Delaying Fire Department entry into a building can and will allow a fire to grow and make the fire more dangerous. When evidence of a fire is noted from the outside, forcible entry into a building is time consuming and represents a delay in locating and extinguishing the fire. In order to expedite entry into a structure and to aid the Fire Department in the task of extinguishment, the installation of a Knox-Box® "Rapid Entry System" shall be required on new construction structures and highly recommended on existing businesses as noted below.
For the purpose of this article, the following definitions apply:
KNOX-BOX
A secure rapid entry system that is designed to be used by Fire Department personnel in the event of an emergency to gain entry into a structure by using the enclosed owner-provided key(s). This box is usually mounted on the exterior of the building in a location that is specified by the Borough Fire Official, Fire Chief, or Building Official. All boxes shall be UL (Underwriters' Laboratories) certified and approved by the Borough Fire Official or Fire Chief.
SYSTEM ADMINISTRATOR
The Borough Fire Marshal or a member of the Fire Department who is recommended by the Chief of the Fire Department with confirmation by the Mayor and Council of the Borough of Hopatcong who is in charge of the Knox-Box® program.
A. 
Knox-Box® required for new commercial buildings. All new commercial buildings shall have installed a Knox-Box® of a UL type and size approved by the Borough Fire Marshal, in a location specified by the Borough Fire Marshal prior to the issuance of the certificate of occupancy. The initial placement of this Knox-Box® on new construction shall be under the direction of the Borough Fire Subcode Official.
B. 
Knox-Box® required for existing commercial buildings with improvements. All existing commercial buildings constructing improvements that require Land Use Board approval shall have installed a Knox-Box® of a UL type and size approved by the Borough Fire Marshal in a location specified by the Borough Fire Official prior to the issuance of the construction permit. The initial placement of this Knox-Box® on new construction shall be under the direction of the Borough Fire Subcode Official.
C. 
Knox-Box® required for existing commercial buildings. All existing commercial buildings shall have installed a Knox-Box® of a UL type and size approved by the Borough Fire Marshal in a location specified by the Borough Fire Marshal within one year of the effective date of this article. Any exceptions to this requirement will be at the discretion of the Borough Fire Marshal.
D. 
Knox-Box® required for multifamily residential structures. All multifamily residential structures that have restricted access through locked doors and have a common corridor for access to the living units shall have installed a Knox-Box® of a UL type and size approved by the Borough Fire Official in a location specified by the Borough Fire Official within one year of the effective date of this article.
E. 
All buildings that require a Knox-Box® shall install one within one year of the effective date of this article.
A. 
It will be the responsibility of the Borough Fire Official, Fire Chief, or System Administrator to approve all purchases of Knox-Box® systems from the Knox-Box® manufacturer.
B. 
The size and model of the Knox-Box® installed shall be determined by the number of keys to be placed in the box and the specifications set forth by the Knox-Box® manufacturer.
C. 
The number of keys in the Knox-Box® cannot exceed the maximum number recommended by the box manufacturer.
D. 
All Knox-Boxes® shall be installed to the side of the main business door.
E. 
All Knox-Boxes® shall be mounted 50 inches to 60 inches from the ground and shall be kept free of any obstructions, including snow and ice.
F. 
In the event that the Knox-Box® cannot be installed at the aforesaid location and/or height, the Borough Fire Official or Fire Chief may designate in writing a different location and installation specifications.
G. 
All Knox-Boxes® may have a tamper switch installed in the building as an intrusion/burglar alarm.
H. 
Purchase and installation of the Knox-Box® will be the sole responsibility of the building owner.
The operator of the building shall immediately notify the Borough Fire Official or Fire Chief when any locks are added, changed or rekeyed which cannot currently be opened by the current key set in the Knox-Box®. Additional keys shall be added to the Knox-Box® immediately.
A. 
All Knox-Boxes® shall contain labeled keys, easily identified in the field to provide access into the property and/or building, and to any locked areas within the said buildings as the Borough Fire Marshal may direct. This shall include keys or access cards to all tenant spaces within a multi-occupancy office, business or residential building. If keys or locks must be changed, the Borough Fire Marshal's Office must be notified within three working days to have keys changed in the Knox-Box®.
B. 
The contents of the lock box shall include (but not be limited to) the following:
(1) 
Keys to locked points of ingress or egress, whether on the interior or exterior of such buildings.
(2) 
Keys to all mechanical rooms.
(3) 
Keys to all locked electrical and utility rooms.
(4) 
Keys to elevators and their control rooms.
(5) 
Keys to the fire alarm panels and fire-suppression systems.
(6) 
Keys to reset pull stations or other fire protective devices.
(7) 
Building access cards, devices, or methods as needed.
A. 
Access to the Knox-Box® Master Key will be limited to the three Chiefs and the System Administrator.
B. 
No fire personnel shall carry a Knox-Box® Master Key unless at an emergency scene.
C. 
All fire personnel having access to the Knox-Box® Master Key will be subject to a comprehensive background check annually or until they have relinquished the position and no longer have access to the key.
D. 
All fire personnel with access to the Knox-Box® Master Key must notify the Chief of Police immediately of any charges pending, whether civil or criminal, or any other event that would jeopardize their ability to have access to the key.
E. 
All Knox-Box® Master Keys shall be installed in a Knox KeySecure® or similar system installed in the fire apparatus.
Any property or building owner failing to comply with or in violation of the terms of this article after notice from the Borough Fire Marshal shall be subject to an initial fine of $100. Failure to comply after seven days will result in an additional fine of $300. Each day thereafter that the building owner fails to comply will result in a fine of $100 per day.
Any business, school or complex which employs full-time security personnel (24/7) equipped with mobile transportation, radio communications and keys to all buildings and spaces on the business, school or complex shall be exempt from this article.
In the event that an emergency contact person for the building owner is requested to respond to the building due to damage, hazardous materials or security reasons by an authorized Borough Official (Fire Marshal, Fire Chief or Designee, Police Officer) and this person refuses to respond in a timely manner, a $300 penalty will be issued to the building owner by the requesting agency.