Aiming to cut down on property damage and boost response times, Chattanooga may require certain newly constructed buildings to have an exterior lock box to help the fire department gain quick access during an emergency.
The Chattanooga City Council approved an ordinance with those requirements on first reading Tuesday. It needs one more vote of approval from the panel before going into effect.
“This would keep us from having to force entry into those doors, which does take time,” Seth Miller, executive deputy fire chief, said in an interview Tuesday. “It slows us down, and it damages property. Obviously, we don’t want to do that. We don’t like to do that, but sometimes you need to, to effectively rescue someone or to make sure that the property is safe.”
Miller said the rules would specifically apply to new construction, including businesses and apartment complexes.
“We don’t want to put that on existing homeowners or business owners, but it does give us the opportunity to go back and capture what we would consider challenge properties,” Miller said. “Properties with recurring issues with false alarms or any of those things.”