Fire Department Emergency Access

Egress Windows

We want to make sure that in an emergency that your windows are large enough so we can safely get you out and so we can get in and do our job. The State of Vermont has put together an excellent guide on how to make sure the windows on your new or renovated home meet the egress code.

Click to view the Vermont Egress Window Guide

Emergency Access Key Vaults

 

In South Hero we use Knox Box Brand Emergency Access System. Whether its a Fire, Police, Rescue Knox Boxes provide secure access to your home or business to First Responders. The Grand Isle County Sheriffs Department administers the keying system we use in South Hero. Knox key vaults attach securely to your home or door and provides a locked compartment that you store your home or business’ key(s) inside. Only the Sheriffs, Fire, and EMS have keys to the vault. The vaults are shipped to you unlocked so you can install them yourself. Once you are ready you can contact the Sheriffs department and they will come out to your property, you place the keys in the vault, and the Sheriffs will lock the vault. Once locked even the property owners do not have access to the vault.

There are two styles of Residential Knox Boxes start, there is the traditional design which starts around $265, These boxes hold more keys than the second style which is the “Homebox” which start as low as $170. That may sound like a lot of money, but if we are called to your home or business and we need make entry due to a small fire, medical emergency, an alarm going off inside, being able to access your home via a secure key box is much faster for us, and much cheaper than repairing a door that has been forced open.

To get a Knox Box for a property in South Hero

Choose Commercial or Larger Residential Key Vaults and enter your address, and choose “Grand Isle Co Sheriff’s Dept” This will ensure your Knox box is keyed correctly so we can access it in an emergency.

OR

For Single Key capacity Homebox: head over to https://www.knoxhomebox.com/community