Lambertville debates emergency access law

The City Council wants more information before introducing the ordinance.

By: Linda Seida
   LAMBERTVILLE — Members of the City Council Tuesday debated the pros and cons of an emergency access system that would enable firefighters to enter a locked building without having to bust down a door or break a window.
   Councilwoman Cynthia Ege compared the system to the locked boxes realtors use to store house keys. It is also called a rapid entry system.
   A brand called Knox-Box sells the boxes and even offers to help municipalities draft ordinances pertaining to the use of their product, if needed.
   In Lambertville, the possibility of an ordinance was raised Tuesday, but members of City Council were far from sold on the idea. A proposed ordinance has been drafted, but was not introduced.
   "I’m not sure I’d want to support an ordinance mandating everyone doing it," Mrs. Ege said. "I’d like to know more information before I’d support an ordinance like that."
   The system makes use of a locked box or vault, which property owners mount on a secure wall or beam outside near the entranceway, between 5 and 6 feet off the ground. The key to the building is kept locked inside the box. It’s also possible to store other vital information there, such as the location of hazardous materials within the building.
   Property owners cannot access the locked boxes. Master keys are held by the fire department, and each municipality receives a key unique for its use.
   During a fire or other emergency, firefighters would use the master key to open the locked box and take out the building’s key. Firefighters then could enter through the front door.
   The boxes already are in place at the elementary school and a handful of other places in the city, according to City Clerk Mary Elizabeth Sheppard.
   The proposed ordinance would require certain structures to be equipped with the rapid entry system. These structures include educational and day-care buildings, apartment buildings, shops, shopping centers, office buildings, churches, movie theaters and restaurants.
   Exemptions would include one- or two-family dwellings, as well as any building that is staffed around the clock, seven days a week.
   The proposed ordinance calls for a fine of up to $1,000 for noncompliance. Failure to comply also could result in up to 90 days in jail and/or up to 90 days community service. Each day a property owner fails to comply would be considered a separate offense.
   Lambertville Fire Chief Robert Hayes was not at the meeting Tuesday, but the Board of Fire Commissioners Jan. 14 voted to support the proposed ordinance. See related story, this page.
   More than 7,000 fire departments in the United States are using the rapid entry system known as Knox-Box, according to the company’s Web site, located at www.knoxbox.com.
   One place where the system is now in use is Ellsworth, Maine. The Ellsworth Fire Department uses its Web site to endorse the Knox-Box system and explain to its 6,400 residents why it likes having the easier access it provides.
   "This method is especially beneficial when indications point toward a false alarm — no smoke, no flames. Entry via the front door eliminates property damage to the building with no injury risk to fire personnel. Replacement doors and windows may not be covered by insurance. Furthermore, in the case of a false alarm, broken doors or windows must be boarded-up, providing a less than secure environment," according to the Ellsworth Fire Department’s Web site, located at http://ci.ellsworth.me.us/knox.html.
   The fire department of Leander, Texas, a city with a population of about 7,600, also advocates the system at http://home.austin.rr.com/leanderfd/knox_rapid_entry_system.htm.
   According to the Leander Fire Department, the Knox-Box eliminates the need for firefighters to wait for a key holder to show up. It also said the system helps reduce water damage due to delays in shutting off sprinklers.
   Still, not everyone in Lambertville is convinced. Mrs. Ege was concerned about vandalism to the locked boxes.
   Before council members make a decision on adopting the ordinance, Mrs. Ege wants to know where the master keys are stored, who will be responsible for them and the procedure used to make them. In addition, she requested pertinent statistics on the system from the insurance industry.
   Police Director Bruce Cocuzza also had reservations. Concerned about someone using the access system for the purpose of theft, he said, "If I was in charge of a fire department in this town, I’m not sure I’d want that responsibility."
   No cost estimates were discussed.