KSWO, Lawton, OK- Wichita Falls, TX: News, Weather, Sports. ABC, 24/7, Telemundo - Lawton Fire Marshal encourages residents to get Knox box

Lawton Fire Marshal encourages residents to get Knox box

LAWTON, Okla. – The Lawton Fire Marshal's Office and fire department are encouraging property owners to invest in a small box they say could save your home or business in the event of a big fire.

Nearly a year ago the fire marshal's office encouraged business and home owners to purchase the Knox boxes that hold your property's keys inside.  The boxes are mounted to the outside of the building and are only accessible by the fire department in the case of an emergency.

So far about 40 businesses and residents are equipped with the Knox box that has already been utilized by the fire department.  Firefighters say when alarms sound, if equipped with the key box they have been able to prevent damage to the building that they would have done had they needed to kick in the door or break a window to get inside.

They say they are hoping the city will soon adopt an ordinance that would require all new businesses to install the boxes. 

It is a growing in popularity especially among firefighters.  Just two years after a local church was nearly destroyed in a fire, it is now equipped with a Knox box that Lawton Assistant Fire Chief Juan Rodriguez says  could prevent it from happening again.

"The best thing is speed of entry into the building.  We can get in very quickly with out any damage at all," said Rodriguez.

Rodriguez says firefighters are called to business false alarms all the time, but if you have a box like this one firefighters can check it out before an owner is dragged out of bed, only to find no harm has been done.

"Even if he wishes to, he doesn't have to if he trusts his Lawton Fire Department.  We can search the building and make sure it's not burning, call the numbers in his box, and say, ‘We were here, come if you want, but there's no need," said Rodriguez.

Rodriguez says the new system eliminates a tedious old one that required them to hang on to keys from several businesses.

"We had over 500 keys and many of them people had moved businesses, had closed.  Half of the keys weren't even good."

Firefighters also had to keep up with keys to several residences where they responded often to medical calls.

"A lot of times they tell us it under the third rock or behind this bush and that's not safe either."

Rodriguez says security is not an issue.  He says only a select few will have a master key to these boxes.

"The only individuals that access these boxes is fire department.  They have 12 keys they are waterproof, fireproof, and destructible proof."

Rodriguez says when firefighters access the master key they have to punch in a security code to unlock their key from inside a box.  That code tells who got the key and at what time they took and returned it back to you.

If you would like to purchase a Knox box for your home or business, call 1 (800) 552-5669.