Delray Beach Fire Rescue offers residential lock box program
Officials hope this will help first responders avoid forced entry if someone inside is experiencing an emergency and cannot get to the door.
Officials hope this will help first responders avoid forced entry if someone inside is experiencing an emergency and cannot get to the door.
Officials hope this will help first responders avoid forced entry if someone inside is experiencing an emergency and cannot get to the door.
The Delray Beach Fire Rescue is unlocking a new program to help residents when they are facing emergencies at home.
The department partnered with Roper Lock Box, so residents can purchase a small safe-like box and put a spare key inside.
"Delray Beach goes to more fall calls than any other type of call that we go to. Each of these calls are unique and bring on their own circumstances each time we go to them," Delray Beach Fire Chief Keith Tomey said. "When firefighters get there, sometimes they end up damaging the doors, windows, trying to gain access to the patient who called 911 for us to help them."
In order to prevent first responders from forcing entry, they believe this residential lock box will help them respond more efficiently.
"Pop the key out, open the door, and they’re in. Couple seconds, compared to a couple minutes, and that can save somebody’s life or even reduce the pain of a resident," Joe Duffy, a public education specialist with Delray Beach Fire Rescue, said.
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"Nobody else will have this master key but Delray Beach Fire Rescue," Tomey said.
Firefighters placed a lock box at 84-year-old Ival Lowe's home Wednesday morning.
"Having vertigo, equilibrium is always off. You’re dizzy. So I have to be very, very careful," Lowe said.
A family friend of 40 years also stopped by to see how the installation of these boxes works.
"I would like to have it because my wife is what you a call a ‘fall-risk.’ In fact, she just had two strokes about a month or so ago," Edward Mars, a resident, told WPBF 25 News. "It makes me feel safe knowing that if I’m not home, someone will be there to pick my wife up... you know, help out."
Fire Rescue officials are also offering free safety surveys to help prevent accidents at home.
For more information on how to purchase a lock box, click here.
This service is available to residents in the fire rescue's service area. You must also fill out a residential lock box Waiver form and bring it to Delray Beach Fire Rescue.
Officials remind you not to send your spare keys to the fire department. Fire officials will reach out to you to schedule an appointment to install the lock box.