[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Supervisors of the Township of Exeter 12-20-1999 by Ord. No. 488. Amendments noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Alarm devices — See Ch. 110.
Uniform construction codes — See Ch. 150.
Fire prevention — See Ch. 177.
For the purposes of this chapter, the following terms are defined as follows:
ALARM
A communication indicating or warning that a fire, crime, health or other emergency situation warranting immediate response by the Fire Department, Police or EMS companies has or is occurring.
[Amended 8-13-2018 by Ord. No. 800]
FALSE ALARM
An alarm sounded and/or transmitting to a central station, dispatching fire, police or EMS, for no apparent cause. A person who maliciously sounds an alarm. A malfunction of the alarm system.
KEY LOCK BOX
A small metal box attached to a building in which keys, plans and other pertinent information requested by the Fire Marshal are locked inside and the Fire Department and Police Department have a master key to that box.
[Amended 8-13-2018 by Ord. No. 800]
PERSON
Any natural person, partnership, firm, association or corporation.
[Amended 8-13-2018 by Ord. No. 800]
For the Fire Department and/or Police Department to gain rapid entry to locked buildings where immediate access is necessary when a fire alarm has been sounded and/or a fire sprinkler system has been activated.
A. 
A key lock box shall be required on:
(1) 
All newly constructed commercial and/or business buildings that are equipped with automatic fire alarms and/or fire sprinkler systems.
(2) 
All existing commercial and/or business buildings which undergo building expansion in excess of 50% of the total floor space that are equipped with automatic fire alarms and/or fire sprinkler systems.
(3) 
All existing commercial and/or business buildings which undergo building expansion in excess of 10% of the total floor space but are not equipped with automatic fire alarms and/or fire sprinkler systems.
(4) 
All existing commercial and/or business buildings that are sold to a new owner or a new occupancy permit is to be issued.
B. 
Exception. Any residential single- or multiple-family dwellings and or residential townhouses.
It shall be the responsibility of the building owner or occupant to order and install, at his/her expense, a key lock box after first obtaining a fire/police rapid entry system authorization/order form, approved and signed by the Fire Marshal or an authorized fire official.
A. 
A key lock box shall be located as close to the main entrance/egress of the building as possible and must be approved by the Fire Marshal or an authorized fire official. Other locations shall be approved by the Fire Marshal or an authorized fire official. All key lock boxes shall be connected to a centrally monitored security system, unless it contains only plans, MSDS sheets, Haz-Mat information, etc., and no keys.
B. 
Exception. In locations not feasible for installation, such as buildings with all glass frontage.
After the effective date of this chapter, all newly constructed commercial and or business buildings shall comply with this chapter and have a key lock box installed before an occupancy permit is issued.
[Amended 8-13-2007 by Ord. No. 640]
Any person, firm or corporation who shall violate any provision of this chapter, upon conviction thereof in an action brought before a Magisterial District Judge in the manner provided for the enforcement of summary offenses under the Pennsylvania Rules of Criminal Procedure, shall be sentenced to pay a fine of not more than $1,000 plus costs and, in default of payment of said fine and costs, to a term of imprisonment not to exceed 90 days. Each day that a violation of this chapter continues or each section of this chapter which shall be found to have been violated shall constitute a separate offense.