Some county businesses push back against Knox Boxes
The Knox Box would attach to the outside of a an area business and hold a key that only local firefighters could access in the event that a fire alarm needed further investigation.
Cindy Hembree
Costly key boxes have some southern Stone County business owners pushing back against the fire department requirement.
The Southern Stone County Fire Protection District is trying to introduce a new property protection element to local businesses that has left some companies less than impressed. Meet the Knox Box, a 5-by-4-inch black steel box that attaches to the side of the business structure. Inside the Knox Box is a 3.5-inch-deep compartment that holds a key(s) to the business that only the fire department can access.
This year, when fire inspector Dylan Honea makes his annual fire inspection rounds, he will educate business owners about the box and its purpose. Suppose a fire alarm sounds, with no smoke or fire showing. In that case, the Knox Box will allow the firefighter access into the building to investigate the alarm’s source without causing unnecessary damage and costly repairs. “We are trying to ensure everyone and their business is safe as they can be. We don’t think we are asking too much,” Honea stated.
Four years ago, the Southern Stone County Fire Protection District adopted the 2015 International Fire Code. A stipulation of adopting this code is that the district is expected to impose the code requirements. Both Honea and Fire Chief, Keith Woven, explained there are other systems out there, but they are not as effective. One of those systems uses siren gates. These gates open when a vehicle approaches with sirens blaring. Siren gates sound ideal for some businesses, but they often malfunction and do not always allow emergency passage. The Knox Box system will work with the Knox Boxes, rapid access padlocks, and opening gates for those businesses that have them.
All new commercial businesses in southern Stone County are required to have a Knox Box mounted on an exterior wall before opening their doors for business. A mandate, slated to take effect this year, has been postponed due to the pandemic and the system’s cost. The boxes must be purchased online from the Knox Corp. At $429 plus shipping fees, the Knox Box can be quite costly for smaller business owners. Woven said the mandate to install the boxes could be a few years away.
Several area business owners disagree with being forced to purchase the Knox Box. They scoff at the idea of having a system like this in place. “It’s ridiculous. They should make it optional and give a waiver to those who refuse to have it,” said Sarah Brewer, a Branson West business manager. Some businesses are concerned that if they did not have the box installed, the department would be less likely to save their business. That idea was quickly squashed. “If there is a fire, we won’t worry about getting into the box,” said Woven. He added that they would do whatever is necessary to put the fire out.
There was mention of possibly utilizing this code for some residential areas in the future. “It would be ideal for those summer lake homes that have owners who live out of the area,” Woven stated. Many times, those owners live out of state and cannot arrive in a reasonable amount of time. However, he said this would be well after regulations were established in the merchant community.
Costly key boxes have some southern Stone County business owners pushing back against the fire department requirement.
The Southern Stone County Fire Protection District is trying to introduce a new property protection element to local businesses that has left some companies less than impressed. Meet the Knox Box, a 5-by-4-inch black steel box that attaches to the side of the business structure. Inside the Knox Box is a 3.5-inch-deep compartment that holds a key(s) to the business that only the fire department can access.
This year, when fire inspector Dylan Honea makes his annual fire inspection rounds, he will educate business owners about the box and its purpose. Suppose a fire alarm sounds, with no smoke or fire showing. In that case, the Knox Box will allow the firefighter access into the building to investigate the alarm’s source without causing unnecessary damage and costly repairs. “We are trying to ensure everyone and their business is safe as they can be. We don’t think we are asking too much,” Honea stated.
Four years ago, the Southern Stone County Fire Protection District adopted the 2015 International Fire Code. A stipulation of adopting this code is that the district is expected to impose the code requirements. Both Honea and Fire Chief, Keith Woven, explained there are other systems out there, but they are not as effective. One of those systems uses siren gates. These gates open when a vehicle approaches with sirens blaring. Siren gates sound ideal for some businesses, but they often malfunction and do not always allow emergency passage. The Knox Box system will work with the Knox Boxes, rapid access padlocks, and opening gates for those businesses that have them.
All new commercial businesses in southern Stone County are required to have a Knox Box mounted on an exterior wall before opening their doors for business. A mandate, slated to take effect this year, has been postponed due to the pandemic and the system’s cost. The boxes must be purchased online from the Knox Corp. At $429 plus shipping fees, the Knox Box can be quite costly for smaller business owners. Woven said the mandate to install the boxes could be a few years away.
Several area business owners disagree with being forced to purchase the Knox Box. They scoff at the idea of having a system like this in place. “It’s ridiculous. They should make it optional and give a waiver to those who refuse to have it,” said Sarah Brewer, a Branson West business manager. Some businesses are concerned that if they did not have the box installed, the department would be less likely to save their business. That idea was quickly squashed. “If there is a fire, we won’t worry about getting into the box,” said Woven. He added that they would do whatever is necessary to put the fire out.
There was mention of possibly utilizing this code for some residential areas in the future. “It would be ideal for those summer lake homes that have owners who live out of the area,” Woven stated. Many times, those owners live out of state and cannot arrive in a reasonable amount of time. However, he said this would be well after regulations were established in the merchant community.