All properties within the Borough of Woodcliff Lake, as described under §
178-26 of this article, where access to or within a structure or an area is unduly difficult because of secured openings or where immediate access is necessary for life saving or fire-fighting purposes, the Fire Official, Fire Chief or duly authorized representative may require that a key box or hazardous material information unit be installed in an accessible location.
The following structures shall be equipped with
a key lock box at or near the main entrance or such other location
required by the Fire Official or Fire Chief:
A. Commercial or industrial structures protected by an
automatic alarm system, or such structures that are secured in a manner
that restricts access during an emergency.
B. Multifamily residential structures that have restricted
access through locked doors and have a common corridor for access
to the living units.
D. Hotels, motels, nursing care facilities.
E. All educational and day-care buildings or structures.
F. All mercantile buildings and structures, including
shopping centers.
G. All office buildings and structures.
H. All buildings and structures of public assembly, including
churches and restaurants.
I. Any high hazard occupancy.
J. Any location where the Fire Official or Fire Chief
deem it necessary at any non-single-family location.
The key box shall be of a UL-type and approved
by the Borough of Woodcliff Lake Fire Official or Fire Chief. The
key box shall meet the minimum standards set forth on Schedule A annexed
hereto. The Woodcliff Lake Fire Department or its representative shall immediately report to the police desk via radio whenever entry is gained to a structure through use of a lock box. Each affected building or structure shall cause an appropriate rapid entry box to be permanently mounted into the structure or building and accessible from outside the structure or building. Each rapid entry box shall be of sufficient size and configuration to allow the required contents as set forth in §
178-29 below to be conveniently stored therein. In order to assure acceptability of the rapid entry box chosen, each owner, tenant or other responsible party of each affected structure or building shall receive approval from the Borough of Woodcliff Lake Fire Official or Fire Chief as to the size and configuration of the proposed rapid entry box.
The location on the outside of the building
or structure at which the rapid entry box is to be located must be,
as nearly as possible, uniform among similar type structures in order
to promote quick accessibility upon arrival of fire personnel at the
scene of an emergency. Because of differing structural characteristics
of different types of structures and buildings, the location of the
rapid entry box on the exterior of each building or structure shall
be submitted to and approved by the Borough of Woodcliff Lake Fire
Official or Fire Chief.
As used herein, "master key" shall mean the
instrument used to gain access to the various rapid entry system boxes
to be utilized as a result of the provisions of this article. The
Fire Department shall establish a system of security and procedure
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).
All existing buildings shall comply with this
article within six months of its effective date. All newly constructed
structures subject to this article shall have the key lock box installed
and operational prior to the issuance of an occupancy permit.
The enforcement of the provisions of this article
shall be the responsibility of the Fire Official or Fire Subcode Official
in accordance with the provisions of the Uniform Fire Code of the
State of New Jersey.
Any building owner, tenant or responsible party
violating this article after notice from the Woodcliff Lake Fire Official
shall be subject to a fine of $100 per month that the violation exists.
The owner or operator of a structure required to have a key lock box shall, at all times, keep current keys in the lock box. Failure to do so will incur penalties set forth in §
178-33 above. It shall be the responsibility of the owner or operator of such structure to contact the Woodcliff Lake Fire Official or Fire Chief to change such keys as necessary.
The Woodcliff Lake Fire Chief shall be authorized
to implement rules and regulations for the use of the lock box system.
Residential properties are not required to install
a key lock box system; this article will include them if the owners
of such properties agree to have one installed.