Leetsdale to require knox boxes at businesses, multi-family facilities

Leetsdale officials want to codify a safety measure that would require businesses and multi-family facilities to provide easy emergency access for firefighters to their facilities.

A knox box is a small, wall-mounted safe that holds building keys that fire departments could use to gain access so they wouldn’t have to make forced entry when responding to alarms or emergencies.

Boxes are currently in use at both industrial parks, the Giant Eagle Plaza and the senior high-rise in the borough.

Council plans to enact an ordinance making them the standard for other companies and developments.

“We want to make sure they provide the keys for them,” council Vice President Osman Awad said. “If anything happens, they’ll be able to get access. If they didn’t have access to go in and put the fire out, especially in multi-family units and stuff, how are you going to get in? People would be dead by the time you get in there.

“It’s beneficial. It should be supported 100%.”

The ordinance is expected to be advertised next month and passed in April.

It has been in the works the past few months and is currently under legal review.

Leetsdale Volunteer Fire Department Chief Wesley James said firefighters have used the boxes at the industrial parks and the high-rise on multiple occasions.

The department has 20 active members and responds to several hundred calls per year.

James noted Leet businesses have knox boxes, and nearby Sewickley already has such an ordinance.

“It makes life a lot easier for everybody,” James said. “It’s not always that everything is on fire, but there is no reason to have to wait for someone to let you in. It costs less than a replaced door. This is an ordinance to bring everybody into compliance.”

He encouraged other communities to make the boxes a requirement for all commercial buildings and places with common fire detection systems, roof lines or interconnected storefronts like a shopping plaza.

“That way, if there is an issue in one, we’re able to check the other ones for damage, or smoke, or fire,” he said.