Feb. 07--Norwalk city council is considering legislation that would require new commercial structures to include a fire key box.
These boxes, which are placed somewhere on the outside of the building normally, contain a key to the business firefighters could use to gain entry in an emergency.
Council introduced the ordinance Tuesday and will likely vote on it at the Feb. 18 meeting.
At the end of Tuesday's meeting, Steve Fries, EPIC Technologies chief financial officer, spoke out against the fire key box requirement.
"I don't think that's right for government to have a key to the building," Fries said. "I think it's a basic civil liberties thing here.
"I don't think it's right to mandate it," Fries added.
Fries' remarks did not go unnoticed by several council members.
"He gave me another perspective I hadn't considered," Councilman Chris Mushett said.
"I'd always looked at it from a health and safety standpoint where the firemen come in there and check out alarms or put out a fire," Mushett said.
"I hadn't looked at the downside," Mushett said, adding the key box provides un-announced access to the building.
"In my mind, this does raise some additional questions," Mushett said. "How will it be regulated?
"It will be interesting to see if any other business owners come forth," he added.
"I think Steve Fries made a valid point," Councilman Bob Carleton said.
Carleton said a possible solution is to mandate the fire key box, but to leave it up to the business owner if they want the key inside the box.
"That's probably not the solution the fire department is looking for," Carleton said. "We need to make it clear that if there is no key, the fire department is good at breaking down doors."
Council president Steve Euton said the legislation can be discussed at Tuesday's work session.
"Some property owners might not want access to their facility like that," Euton said. "We do need to consider some exceptions. I think he (Fries) made a very valid point."
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