Penn Township businesses and apartment buildings will need to install key boxes to give firefighters easy access in the case of an emergency.

The new township ordinance requires business owners to install a small, locked wall-mounted box, which will hold the key to their establishments.

Firefighters will hold the master key that unlocks all the boxes in town, letting them get into buildings in case of emergency.

Business owners are responsible for the cost of installation, which is expected to be between $400-$600 per box.

The boxes will be alarmed to show if they are opened or tampered with.

There are a few exceptions to the ordinance. Apartment buildings less than two stories high don’t need the box as long as every apartment has an exit door leading outside.

Businesses with strict security requirements, such as those that keep legal documents or medical records, can opt out as long as they provide the township emergency management coordinator 24-hour emergency contact info.

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