Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Ems Preparedness topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
DeKalb Fire Department urges visible house numbers, File of Life and residential Knox Box for faster emergency care
Summary
Lt. Dave De Lillie told residents that small changes — clear address numbers, exterior lighting, securing pets, and a residential Knox Box or File of Life — can speed emergency response; the department also plans community paramedicine follow-up for some falls after New Year.
Lt. Dave De Lillie of the DeKalb Fire Department told attendees that many simple steps can shorten response time and reduce harm in home emergencies. "We responded to about 8,000 emergency calls last year," he said, using the number to underscore the frequency of local calls and the value of preparation.
De Lillie urged residents to make house numbers easily visible from the road, keep exterior lights on when possible, and, when time allows, turn on lights or flag responders. He also highlighted pet safety: "If you have cats or dogs running around your house and we're coming in there to provide medical care, obviously, that hinders our ability to do that." Securing animals in a back bedroom can prevent interference with care and reduce escapes.
On home access, De Lillie described a residential Knox Box program available through the fire department in partnership with the township. He said the device is "a very secure lockbox" placed at no cost through an application process; emergency crews hold the key so responders can enter without forcing doors and causing damage. "We will get into your house. Rest assured, we will get into your house," he said, noting the box is intended to speed access for frequent-fall cases or other vulnerabilities.
The department also recommended the File of Life: a document residents can keep on their refrigerator or other visible spot to list medical conditions, medications, allergies and the location of advance directives. De Lillie said the File of Life helps EMS when patients are nonverbal and that paramedics will look for obvious cues rather than searching through a home.
De Lillie said the fire department will partner with DeKalb Elder Care on a community paramedicine program after the new year to follow up on falls and connect residents to resources that could reduce repeat incidents. He encouraged residents to contact the township or fire department for information about Knox Boxes and the File of Life and to pick up informational folders available at DeKalb Township.
