emergency entry options for home access
What the county recorded
This item is not from the published agenda
It is a stretch of the recording that this archive identified as a separate matter — a call to order, a recess, or something taken up that the agenda does not list. There is no official title, no staff recommendation and no disposition, because the county never recorded one. Everything below is inferred.
The source document
The county’s agenda for Planning Commission, Jul 22, 2021
The published PDF, as served by the county. This item is one entry in it.
The county’s minutes for Planning Commission, Jul 22, 2021
The published PDF, as served by the county. This item is one entry in it.
What was said
Machine transcription of 3m of recording, with speaker names inferred from voice matching. 0% of 6 lines carry a name. It shows what was said, not what was decided, and both the words and the names can be wrong.
Hello, I'm Josh Taylor from Pasco County Fire Rescue. Thank you for joining us. When medical emergencies strike, first responders will always do what it takes to access the home and reach the patient. Sometimes that means that we have to break a window or force a door as a last resort. We want to make sure that all of our options are explored before doing any damage to your home. But if forcing entry is our only option, we may have to do some damage. This video is intended to show you and your family options for allowing firefighters access to your home in times of an emergency. While this list isn't all inclusive, it's
intended to show you the most common options for emergency entry. This list is from the least secure to the most secure and includes price points for each. For more information, you can visit mypasco.net and search for fire rescue. Our first and least secure option is the key under the mat. This gives simple access to your home, but we don't recommend it. It's often the first place criminals look when trying to break in. Although this is an easy place to hide a key, it is not secure and leaves your property vulnerable. The only cost associated with this is the key and a doormat.
The second way to access a home is a hidden key inside of a rock or ceramic frog in the garden. For years, this was a very popular way to store a key. This is not as obvious as the key under the doormat. However, it isn't any more secure. This inexpensive option can be relayed to dispatch in the time of an emergency, allowing first responders access. It's also one of the places criminals look to gain access to your home. The cost of the hidden key is around $20, but we cannot recommend it. The next option is the electronic keypad. This is a more secure option than the first two and pretty inexpensive
with a price point under $100. This keypad can be purchased from a local hardware store and is simple to install with tools you should already have. The code should be relayed to the 911 operator in the time of emergency or can be stored with our dispatch beforehand. It is the homeowner's responsibility to maintain the keypad with fresh batteries and to have the password on hand. If the code is stored with our dispatch, the homeowner must contact them with the new code when it changes. Dead batteries are a failure point for this option. The final option is the controlled access
box. This is the most secure and most expensive emergency access option. This steel box costs just under $200 and is available for purchase online. It is the homeowner's responsibility to install the box and call Pasco County Fire Rescue to come and install the key, free of cost. This secure box is accessed by a special key that only the fire department carries. It is the owner's responsibility to contact the fire rescue if they change locks on their front door. This list reflects the most common options for allowing first responders access to a home during an emergency.
Thank you for joining us and we hope you have a wonderful day. For more information, visit mypasco.net and search for fire rescue.