TRENTON, N.J. — The New Jersey Senate has approved legislation that would require school buildings across the state to install exterior key boxes to give first responders faster access during emergencies.
The bill, S-4440, sponsored by Sens. Angela V. McKnight and Shirley K. Turner, would mandate that each school building have at least one secure, first responder-designated exterior key box to support a prompt response during a crisis.
“Safety and emergency protocols are paramount in New Jersey schools, which is why we need first responders to access school buildings as quickly as possible during an emergency,” said McKnight, a Democrat from Hudson County. “Any delay during an emergency can put our children, teachers, and staff in further danger. Having a secure and accessible location to store keys for first responders will help expedite an effective and timely emergency response and prevent tragedy.”
Supporters of the measure say the lack of immediate access to school buildings can delay response efforts during incidents such as lockdowns or active shooter situations, forcing first responders to spend critical time locating school personnel.
“When there is a crisis within our school buildings, every second makes a difference for first responders to bring students and teachers to safety,” said Turner, a Democrat representing Mercer and Hunterdon counties. “Making school building keys easily accessible for first responders during an emergency event will help improve response times, reduce confusion, and save lives.”
Lawmakers said the exterior key boxes would complement existing crisis protocols by allowing first responders to enter buildings immediately upon arrival, helping to reduce confusion and speed emergency operations.
