[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Commissioners
of the Township of Lower Allen 9-9-1996 by Ord. No. 96-4 (Art. 765 of the 1985
Code of Ordinances). Amendments noted where applicable.]
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General
Provisions, Art. I)]
The purpose of this chapter is to require certain
structures to have a key lock box installed on the entrance of the
structure to enable members of Lower Allen Fire Company No. 1, Lisburn
Community Fire Company, Lower Allen Township Emergency Medical Service
(EMS) personnel, Lower Allen Township Public Safety Officers and equivalent
personnel, and police officers to gain access to the structure when
responding to an emergency without forceful entry.
This chapter shall be know and may be cited
as the "Key Lock Box Ordinance."
As used in this chapter the following words,
terms and phrases shall have the meanings herein ascribed thereto
unless the context clearly indicates a different meaning:
Any engineered system, device, equipment, mechanical, electrical
or battery-operated arrangement to activate an alarm or signal of
the occurrence of a police, fire, hazard or medical emergency requiring
urgent attention and to which police, fire units or EMS personnel
are expected to respond.
An engineered system that automatically detects a fire, activates
an alarm and suppresses a fire by applications of an extinguishing
agent through fixed piping and nozzle.
All members and equipment of the Lower Allen Fire Company
No. 1 and Lisburn Community Fire Company.
A fire.
The Manager of the Township.
An emergency involving the health of a person or persons.
Any person, group, firm, partnership, association, company,
corporation or organization of any kind.
All members of the Lower Allen Township Police Department.
An incident requiring prompt response by the Police Department.
That which is built or constructed or a portion thereof.
The Lower Allen Township, Cumberland County, Pennsylvania.
All structures within the Township having an
automatic detection system and/or an automatic suppression system
that are secured in a manner that restricts access during an emergency,
including but not limited to multifamily residential structures that
have restricted access through a locked door or have a common corridor
for access to the living units, governmental structures, health care
facilities, schools and churches, shall be equipped with a key lock
box at or near the main entrance in such other location required and
approved by the Township Manager or his designee. Single-family residential
dwellings having independent means of ingress and egress shall be
exempt from this requirement.
The owner of each newly constructed structure
subject to this chapter shall have the key lock box installed and
operational prior to the issuance of an occupancy permit. The owner
of each structure in existence on the effective date of this chapter
and subject to this chapter shall have one year from the effective
date of this chapter to have a key lock box installed and operational.
The key lock box shall be an Underwriter's Laboratory
type and approved by the Township Manager or his designee. The key
lock box will be equipped with a lock which can be opened only with
a key that is issued only to the Township Manager or his designee.
Emergency vehicles will be equipped with one key that is held in a
special security device. The structure owner shall not be able to
obtain a key to open the lock box.
[Amended at time of adoption of Code (see Ch. 1, General
Provisions, Art. I)]
The key lock box shall be mounted on the structure
entrance at a height of between four to six feet and within three
feet of the direct access port or such other location approved by
the Township Manager or his designee. Flush mounted or surface recessed
key lock box installations will be permitted, provided that the key
lock box is clearly marked. Once the key lock box is installed, the
owner of the structure shall contact the Township Manager or his designee
during regular office hours to arrange for the owner of the structure
to be contacted and visited by a member of the Fire Companies, a member
of the Police Department, or a member(s) of the Department of Public
Safety, to inspect the key lock box and install the access keys.
The key lock box shall contain keys to locked
ports of entrance, whether on the interior or exterior of the structure,
keys to locked mechanical equipment rooms, keys to locked electrical
rooms, keys to elevator controls, keys to any fenced or secured area,
floor plan of the rooms within the structure denoting any utility
disconnects or controls, fire alarm panels or controls and any hazardous
materials stored in the structure. If contents of the key lock box
must be added or removed, arrangements shall be made with the Township
Manager or his designee to visit the structure to open the box, inspect
the change of contents and then lock the box.
The owner of the structure required to have
a key lock box shall provide a list of contact persons, indicating
name, home address and home telephone number to the Township Manager
or his designee. The owner of the structure shall immediately upon
any change with respect thereto furnish the Township Manager with
such information with respect to such change.
[Amended 11-10-1997 by Ord. No. 97-16; at time of adoption of Code (see
Ch. 1, General Provisions, Art. I)]
Any person who violates or permits a violation
of this chapter shall, upon conviction in a summary proceeding under
the Pennsylvania Rules of Criminal Procedure, be guilty of a summary
offense and shall be punishable by a fine of not less than $100 nor
more than $1,000, plus court costs and reasonable attorneys' fees
incurred by the Township in the enforcement proceedings. Upon judgment
against any person by summary conviction, or by proceedings by summons
on default of the payment of the fine or penalty imposed and the costs,
the defendant may be sentenced to imprisonment for a term not exceeding
90 days. Each day that such violation exists shall constitute a separate
offense, and each section of this chapter that is violated shall also
constitute a separate offense. In addition to or in lieu of enforcement
under this section, the Township may enforce this chapter in equity
in the Court of Common Pleas of Cumberland County.
