The Town of Halfmoon has recognized the importance of providing
the Town's emergency services rapid entry into locked buildings
where access to or within a structure or an area is restricted because
of secured openings or where immediate access is necessary for lifesaving
or firefighting purposes as further recognized in Section 506 of the
Fire Code of New York State. A key box emergency access system local
law provides for the placement in secured, locked containers of keys
to important areas within a structure and information that may be
vital and necessary to the health, safety and welfare of the occupants
and responding emergency crews. The Town of Halfmoon hereby recognizes
that the delay in gaining entry can result in substantial property
damage, delays in providing lifesaving or other medical procedures
and increased danger for emergency services personnel and the building
occupants. Knowledge of the location of hazardous or potentially hazardous
materials will also enhance the emergency services personnel's
ability to preserve and protect lives and property. To assist the
emergency service providers in gaining rapid entry, and thereby increase
the safety, health and well-being of the citizens of the Town of Halfmoon
and emergency personnel, the Town of Halfmoon hereby adopts the "Key
Box Emergency Access Systems Local Law."
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the
meanings indicated:
AUTOMATIC FIRE SUPPRESSION SYSTEM
A system or assembly of piping, valves, controls and sprinklers
which are designed and installed to comply with the National Fire
Protection Association (NFPA) standards, which utilize water, foam,
carbon dioxide or other gas to automatically react to and suppress
fire.
EMERGENCY ALARM
Any device designed to alert police, fire or emergency medical
personnel to an emergency condition requiring attention and to which
police, fire or emergency medical service units are expected to respond.
This definition shall include alarms that terminate at an answering
service, as well as those that emit an audible or visible signal.
FALSE ALARM
An alarm signal from an emergency alarm or notification by
an emergency alarm answering service which calls for an emergency
response from law enforcement, fire services or emergency medical
services where an emergency situation does not in fact exist. The
term "false alarm" shall not include an alarm signal caused by testing
or repairing of telephone or electrical lines or equipment outside
of the premises, an attempted illegal entry of which there is visible
evidence, violent conditions of nature or other extraordinary circumstances
not reasonably subject to control by the alarm user or alarm supplier.
KEY BOX
A high security key vault of UL type approved by the Town
of Halfmoon Office of Code Enforcement. Locks shall be keyed to the
key configuration provided by the Town of Halfmoon. Such vaults shall
have weatherproof gaskets, shall have a covered lock opening and shall
be highly resistant to drilling or vandalism.
This chapter shall be applicable to:
A. All buildings located within the Town of Halfmoon having an automatic
fire alarm system or a fire sprinkler system, which shall be equipped
with key boxes and/or key box document vaults.
B. Any building having three or more false alarms within a six-month
period.
C. Any building that requires immediate emergency access because of
special conditions or hazards as determined by the Code Enforcement
Office.
D. Any residences within multiple dwelling residential structures, including
but not limited to apartments, condominiums and other multifamily
residential units that utilized securitized common access areas.
One- and two-family dwellings and buildings having a twenty-four-hour,
seven-day-per-week guard system shall be specifically exempted from
the requirements for a key box.
Any person who shall fail to comply with any of the applicable
provisions of this chapter or any lawful order, notice, directive,
permit or certificate of the Office of Code Enforcement or of the
Town of Halfmoon Building Department made hereunder shall be punishable
by a fine of $250 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 15 days,
or both. Each day that a violation continues shall be deemed a separate
offense.
The Office of Code Enforcement and the Town of Halfmoon Building
Department shall administer the provisions of this chapter. The Office
of Code Enforcement and the Building/Zoning Department of the Town
of Halfmoon shall enforce the provisions.