The Danville Fire Department is reminding businesses in the city of the importance of providing current building keys and information for their Knox key boxes.
These boxes are small safes mounted on the wall of a building’s exterior.
“They hold keys for our firefighters to use for quick entry during an emergency,” Fire Chief Dave Coffey said. “They are required on all businesses with sprinklers and fire alarm systems.”
By state law, Coffey said business operators must immediately notify the Fire Department when they change their door locks and provide a new key for placement in their Knox Box.
Recently, firefighters responded to an overnight fire at a local establishment that did not have updated entry keys. As a result, firefighters had to enter by force.
Coffey said minutes count when fighting fires. The lack of current keys in a Knox Box causes an unnecessary delay for firefighters entering the building, he said. A Knox Box can also cut fire losses for building owners, since firefighters can enter buildings without breaking doors or windows. It can also reduce the potential of a firefighter being injured forcing entry.
