Newtown Square Fire Co. Urges Residents To Join 'Knox Box' Program

The Newtown Square Fire Company recently said on its website that resents and businesses in the area should join a program that will allow emergency responders to get inside properties without causing further damage when a key holder is not present.

The Knox Box Program can prevent homeowners and business owners from incurring costly damages to property when emergency crews need to get inside buildings but can't due to locked doors, the fire company said.

"When a fire breaks out or there is a medical emergency, Knox products allow immediate entry into buildings and properties without forced entry damage or delay, especially when no key holder is present," the Chief Doug Everlof wrote on the website. "Property owner/emergency contact information, entrance keys, utility room keys, alarm system reset tools/ keys, access cards and floor plans can be stored in a high-security Knox-Box mounted near your building’s entrance."

Each Knox-Box purchased by a property owner is keyed to a single master key, coded for and controlled by the Newtown Square Fire Company, Everlof said. That master key is carried securely inside the fire apparatus in a lock-down device that can only be opened by a fire officer.

More than 70 businesses, apartment complexes, nursing facilities, and schools use Knox Boxes in the township.

Property owners are encouraged to participate in the Knox-Box program.

Anyone interested in participated in the program can visit Knox Box's website, or contact the company by phone (800) 552-5669.

To have your box keyed specifically to the Newtown Square Fire Company No. 1, you must enter the town (Newtown Square) and the state (PA) or the agency name (Newtown Square Fire Co #1).

Once you have received and installed your Knox-Box Rapid Entry Box, you must provide the necessary keys/contents that will be stored in the box and contact the Newtown Square Fire Company to have a representative come out and secure the keys/contents inside your new Knox-Box, according to the fire company.

Anyone with questions about the program can email Everlof at Chief@nsfc.org.

Image via Newtown Square Fire Company