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Wednesday, 07 May 2008 |
Fire department to lessen load, carry fewer keys
By KAREN CAMPBELL
Staff Writer
In an effort to gain access to buildings to fight fires faster, the chief of the Wapakoneta Fire Department is asking businesses to limit their keys.
Firefighters carry keys to nearly 60 businesses, some have multiple keys, others have combinations to touch pads that have to be remembered, Fire Chief Kendall Krites said.
“There are so many keys it’s hard to keep them straight,” Krites said. “It’s hard to keep them current as locks are changed. It got cumbersome.”
Krites is asking business owners, even residents, to consider another method for keeping their keys which would result in less bulk and searching for firefighters during an emergency. Letters recently were sent to businesses explaining the request to move toward the secure Knox Boxes that would hold all keys collectively outside buildings, with only the fire department having access.
A master key would be kept at the firehouse to unlock the boxes so firefighters could gain access to keys to buildings as well as individual areas, access cards, and anything else, even floor plans — depending on the size of the box — they might need when responding to an emergency.
The boxes are of heavy-duty construction and weather resistant as well as having features such as alarm tamper switches, multi-purpose electrical switches, and several combination locks, all dependent on custom orders, according to information from the Phoenix, Ariz., company that makes the boxes.
Knox Boxes are used by more than 9,500 fire departments, military installations and other areas where speedy and secure access is necessary and helpful without carrying a lot of keys, according to the company, which also manufactures other products helpful in securely fighting fires faster.
Prices for the boxes start at approximately $200.
“We’re not trying to shove this down anyone’s throat,” Krites said. “We are hopeful that most will see the merit in this system, which will provide us with a standardized method of gaining access into commercial structures and will purchase one on a voluntary basis.
“This is definitely a matter of time,” he said. “It would definitely save a few minutes, get it done a little faster.”
He said without easy access to keys, firefighters may have to damage buildings to access them. In cases of just light smoke or fire alarms, that damage may be unnecessary, when firefighters could just as quickly open the box as break through a door.
Several businesses in the area have been using the boxes or already plan to in the future, including a couple county buildings, churches, apartment complexes and physicians offices.
Plans also are to install boxes in all city buildings not manned 24-hours a day.
Ohio Fire Code authorizes fire departments to require utilization of Knox Boxes, but the local department is not requiring their purchase at this time.
Wapakoneta Fire Department does plan to discontinue the practice of carrying loose keys when responding to calls as of July 1.
“We’d like to see as many people as possible take part in this to give us a uniform system,” Krites said.
He said eventually he’d like the boxes to be considered as part of an ordinance passed by the city that would require them on all new buildings.
“I’ve mentioned it,” Krites said. “There’s no legislation yet, no steps made forward with it, but it is something I would like to see happen and something I hope we move forward with.” |
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Last Updated ( Thursday, 08 May 2008 )
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