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Campbell Fire Department explores emergency lock boxes
By Sarah Lehr
CAMPBELL
In an emergency, a few minutes can make all the difference.
The Campbell Fire Department hopes that emergency lock boxes will allow first-responders to save those precious few minutes and respond more quickly to the scene of a potential emergency.
The boxes, which will allow firefighters to enter a home without breaking down a door first, should also save expense for homeowners since a resident will not have to pay to replace a door, Fire Chief Nick Hrelec said.
The lock boxes, which Hrelec hopes to debut this month, will be available for purchase to all Campbell residents. The small metal boxes, which the fire department will install between a door and a door frame, each contain a key to the home. The box itself opens with another master key. There will be two copies of the master key, which will be securely stored on the city’s two firetrucks, Hrelec said.
Hrelec said he drew inspiration for the boxes from a similar program in Canfield Township.
The lock boxes will be available for $30 each to cover the cost from the supplier and the shipping. Any resident is welcome to purchase a box, though the city anticipates the boxes will be most popular among the elderly and the disabled. Close to 20 percent of Campbell’s 8,000 residents are 65 or older, according to 2010 U.S. Census data, as compared to a statewide average of 14 percent.
The city also will offer larger lock boxes made with slightly thicker metal for $200 each, though Hrelec anticipates those boxes will be used commercially rather than residentially due to the cost.
Campbell is working with the city’s law director to finalize release forms for the boxes, Hrelec said. Residents interested in purchasing a lock box should contact the fire department at 330-755-8082.