Key Box Detail

[frankie811]

When listening to the East Providence FD, I frequently hear a piece of apparatus being dispatched to a location (usually commercial) for a key box detail. Exactly what does that entail? I also hear calls for a lock box detail. Are they the same?

 

[W1KNE]

Yes. By fire code, buildings with commercial alarm systems have heavily re-enforced lock boxes outside of the building doors, that can only be opened by the fire department. These boxes contain building keys and sometimes codes. Because the fire department is the only one with the key(s) to these boxes, if a building owner changes the locks, door codes, etc., they need to have a fire detail come by the building to open the box, so the building employee or owner can change out those keys. You've seen those boxes, they're black and about 12" square with a flap over the door. Local fire code requires that the owners keep these keys up to date.

 

[mmckenna]

You've seen those boxes, they're black and about 12" square with a flap over the door. Local fire code requires that the owners keep these keys up to date.

Emergency Key Box - Knox Rapid Access System

Knox Rapid Access System provides non-destructive emergency access to commercial and residential properties. More than 14,000 fire departments and government agencies use Knox key boxes (keybox, keyboxes), vaults, cabinets, key switches, padlocks, narcotics or drug lockers, locking FDC caps or...

www.knoxbox.com

 

[frankie811]

Yes. By fire code, buildings with commercial alarm systems have heavily re-enforced lock boxes outside of the building doors, that can only be opened by the fire department. These boxes contain building keys and sometimes codes. Because the fire department is the only one with the key(s) to these boxes, if a building owner changes the locks, door codes, etc., they need to have a fire detail come by the building to open the box, so the building employee or owner can change out those keys. You've seen those boxes, they're black and about 12" square with a flap over the door. Local fire code requires that the owners keep these keys up to date.

Thank you. I've often wondered how the FD could gain access to a building when a fire alarm sounds after hours.