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Warren County fire officials pitch Knox Box requirement for new commercial buildings
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Summary
County fire leadership and a battalion chief presented a proposed ordinance to require Knox Box lockboxes for new commercial and high-occupancy buildings, saying the boxes reduce property damage and speed emergency access; the proposal would not be retroactive and would rely on secure E‑Key management.
Warren County fire officials on April 16 presented a proposal to require Knox Box lockboxes on new commercial and high‑occupancy buildings, arguing the devices let emergency responders gain secure access without breaking doors and reducing property damage.
The county’s fire chief (identified in the meeting as Chief Rector) and Battalion Chief Tim Buchanan described the system and its security features as they previewed an ordinance that the court will consider in coming weeks. Chief Rector said the courts’ legal counsel is reviewing the draft and emphasized the proposal would apply to new builds only, not existing structures. “We would not be requesting that this be retroactive,” the chief said.
Buchanan described the manufacturer’s E‑Key system and how it improves accountability. “They call it E Key,” he said. “Basically, if a key is lost, they can remotely log in and shut that key off.” The presenters said each electronic key has an ID tied to a user so the department can log who removes or uses a key.
Officials told the court that many local sites already use the boxes: “Coincidentally, all the Warren County public schools currently already have Knox boxes,” Chief Rector said, and the county has roughly 50 installed at various locations. Presenters said the typical cost to equip a building is about $400 and contrasted that with the potential cost of forced entry to a storefront after-hours.
Judge (presiding) said the program would be owner‑paid and not a cost to taxpayers: “This is no cost to the citizen. This is a cost to the property owner,” the judge said, and added the fire department would manage ordering and tracking to maintain control and accountability.
The presentation noted the International Fire Code and NFPA guidance that commonly inform local requirements; presenters said they would work with the business community and adjust implementation details. The court did not vote on an ordinance at the meeting; staff said the draft will be presented to the court for consideration in the coming weeks.
Next steps: staff will finalize the ordinance language with legal review and present it to the fiscal court for formal consideration at a future meeting.
