More first responders can enter homes via lockboxes

[Liberal_in_LA]

More first responders can enter homes via lockboxes

By John Wisely and Megha Satyanarayana, USA TODAY

A home health aid worker in Franklin Township, N.J. could see her unconscious patient through a window of the home last month, but couldn't get inside to help.

When emergency crews arrived, they dialed a combination lockbox to access the door key and entered within seconds, said Franklin Township Police Chief Craig Novick.

"We were able to render aid without breaking down the door," he said.

Secure lockboxes with keys inside have long been used by businesses and high-rises to give emergency crews access. Now, they are increasingly seen in individual homes, said Jack Parow, president of the International Association of Fire Chiefs.

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Residents can check with their police or fire departments to see whether they offer the service, Parow said.

"It makes it a lot easier for us," Parow said. "It's more of a peace of mind, especially for people who call us a lot."

Novick said his department buys the boxes with drug forfeiture funds and has installed about 75 since last March.

The boxes typically come in either a combination or key models that can be mounted to the home or hung on the door. Combinations typically are kept in dispatch computers and released to crews en route. Depending on the mounting and the strength, prices can range from $20 to more than $200.

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Emergency response officials like the idea, because without easy access, first responders must often smash a window or break in a door.

"I've destroyed quite a few doors helping people," said Centerline, Mich., police Sgt. Kenneth Frizzell.

http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2011-01-13-lockboxes13_ST_N.htm