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Lock boxes helping first responders in cases of emergency

Posted at 4:17 PM, May 16, 2018
and last updated 2018-05-16 17:36:36-04

Betty, who did not want us to use her last name, says this box gives her peace of mind. 

"When I got back into town I realized I needed to do something to make sure the fire department rescue were not smashing down my front door," she says. 

It's called a Knox Box. A copy of her key is inside. Only firefighters with the town of Palm Beach can access the key. 

While they've been around for years, more people are using these boxes and similar ones in case of an emergency. 

Fire Marshall Marty DeLoach with the Town Of Palm Beach said, "Oftentimes people are sick or injured, and they can't get to the door. And they can call 911 and when the firefighters get there to respond to their medical emergency, they used to have to break the door down. And now when people install one of these systems outside their house, firefighters can get in and take care of their needs." He added, "The act of physically breaking down a door can physically injure a firefighter, damage equipment and so it's much safer for the homeowner and the firefighter." 

It's peace of mind for Betty. "It's very reasonable to purchase, it is not expensive, I installed it myself and if I can install it, anyone can install it," she said.