As used in this article, the following terms
shall have the meanings indicated:
AFFECTED STRUCTURE
Any building or structure located in the Township of Little
Falls, whether privately or publicly owned, including, without limitation,
any building owned by the Township of Little Falls, the Little Falls
Board of Education, or any other public, quasi-public, or private
entity or person, including but not limited to the following:
A.
Any industrial or warehouse building or structure;
B.
Hotels, motels or multiple dwellings which have
locked main entrances at any time during the day or night or which
have locked boiler rooms, electrical rooms, basements, sprinkler control
rooms or elevator control rooms;
C.
All educational and day-care buildings or structures;
D.
All mercantile buildings and structures including
shopping centers;
E.
All office buildings and structures;
F.
All buildings and structures of public assembly
including churches, restaurants and movie theaters.
FIRE OFFICIAL
A person holding a valid Fire Official's Certification issued
by the New Jersey Division of Fire Safety and appointed by the Mayor.
[Amended 7-26-2021 by Ord. No. 1418]
HAZMAT CABINET
A UL-listed Knox Box HazMat cabinet approved by the Fire
Chief that meets the requirements and uses the same security key code
adopted by the Fire Department.
KNOX BOX
A UL-listed Knox Box Rapid Entry Key Box System approved
by the Fire Official that meets the requirements and uses the same
security key code adopted by the Fire Department.
MASTER KEY
The key or other instrument used to gain access to the various
Knox Boxes to be utilized as a result of the provisions of this article.
RESPONSIBLE PARTY
The person(s) charged with the responsibility for the occupancy,
building or business owner.
VAULT
A UL-listed Knox Vault approved by the Fire Official that
meets the requirements and uses the same security key adopted by the
Fire Department.
The following buildings or structures shall
be exempt from the terms and provisions of this article:
A. Any building or structure staffed 24 hours a day,
seven days a week;
B. Any one- or two-family residential dwelling;
C. Any storage shed, pump station, recycling trailer,
recreation field building or other similar type accessory building.
All existing affected structures shall comply
with this article within 12 months from the effective date. All newly
constructed affected structures, not yet occupied, or affected structures
currently under construction, and all affected structures or businesses
applying for a certificate of occupancy or continued certificate of
occupancy, shall immediately comply with the terms and provisions
of this article.
Any responsible party in violation of any provision
hereof shall receive written notice of the violation(s) and be provided
30 days to correct the violation(s). Any responsible party, after
receiving written notice by the Fire Official and failing to correct
the violation within the thirty-day period, shall be subject to a
fine of up to $500 for each and every day of noncompliance. Continued
noncompliance may result in the revocation of the certificate of occupancy.
Following the installation by a responsible
party of a lock box, all keys currently in the possession of the Fire
Department shall be returned to the responsible party.
The Township of Little Falls Fire Department
shall establish a system of security and procedures to limit access
to any master key(s) to authorized personnel in times of emergency.
The Fire Department shall, to the extent feasible and practical, use
the latest technological advances available to preserve and enhance
the security of the master key(s).
The Township of Little Falls and the Township
of Little Falls Fire Department assume no liability for any defects
in the operation of the Knox Box, the keys contained in the Knox Box,
any information stored within the key lock box or otherwise provided
to the Fire Official, or the security of any property required to
have a Knox Box due to access to the Knox Box by any person.