Fire department recommends lock boxes

Why own a residential lock box?

Lock boxes make it easier for fire crews to access your home during an emergency, said Fire Inspector Greg Hernandez of the Green Valley Fire District.

“In an emergency situation, a quick response time is critical,” Hernandez said. “Treatment is delayed if we have to break down your door.”

Homeowners keep a set of house keys inside the sturdy, 2x4 inch miniature safe, which is usually installed near the front door. Firefighters are able to open the lock box with a secured key that only the GVFD has access to.

This not only saves precious time, but also money that would be spent repairing property damage caused by a forced entry.

Lock boxes can be ordered through the fire district. The cost is about $70 and the GVFD charges a $25 installation fee.

“That’s less than it would cost to repair a door or replace a window,” said Bill Katzel of the Green Valley Fire Corps, a group of about 25 trained volunteers who handle non-emergency calls for the fire district.

When Katzel’s wife fell recently and nearly broke her leg, he decided to invest in a lock box.

“I wasn’t home when it happened, and it scared me,” he said.

Hernandez and Deputy Fire Marshal Mark Stonestreet used Katzel’s house to teach the fire corps how to install the boxes.

“This is just another duty the fire corps can relieve commissioned officers of, and we’re happy to do it,” Katzel said.

Though the boxes are fairly inconspicuous, don’t think that firefighters will somehow pass them over in the high-stress of an emergency.

“The district’s dispatch center is notified of the homes that have the boxes, and are able to alert responding crews,” said Stonestreet.

A red sticker is also placed near the door to show firefighters that a lock box is present.

So far there are about 100 Green Valley homes with lock boxes, an average number for a community this size, said the fire marshal.

Contact the GVFD headquarters at 625-9400 for more information.

jrichardson@gvnews.com | 547-9726