Inspection and Prevention Department

 With over 725 businesses in Perkins Township our Fire Inspection and Prevention Program is one of the busiest in Erie County.  Leading this Department is Fire Marshal Keith Eastman who has served Perkins Township for over 18 years. Our Inspection Office is located at 3003 Campbell Street in our No.2 Fire Station.

Perkins Fire Knox-Box

It's 2:00 a.m. The fire alarm in your building is ringing and the Fire Department responds. Rather than reaching for an ax to break down the door, Firefighters open the Knox-Box, remove entrance keys, and immediately enter your facility to search for the cause of the alarm.

 

Eliminating forced entry means no property damage and no replacement costs for broken windows and forced doorframes or locks. It also means no flying glass to injure Firefighters.

You arrive on site knowing that you or your representative did not have to get there before Firefighters could enter your building. The Fire Department has already determined that a small fire was contained by the sprinkler system. The reduced emergency response time meant immediate shut off of the sprinkler water supply resulting in minimal smoke, fire and water damage to your property.

Knox-Box

The Perkins Township Fire Department encourages the use of the Knox-Box. Presently many businesses in the Township are making use of this Emergency Entry System. Starting at $199 this one time purchase may save the business or home owner much more and allow the Firefighters instant access to the property.

Reasons to Install a Knox-Box

• Eliminate needless, costly forced entry damage that may not be covered by your insurance deductible.
• Assure immediate building entry by Firefighters without delay or waiting for building keys.
• Protect inventory, equipment and supplies from unnecessary water damage caused by delayed sprinkler shut-off
• Satisfy local fire codes and emergency access ordinances
• Feel secure about emergency coverage when your building is left unattended. The Fire Department holds the ONLY key to the Knox-Box
• Maintain building security after a fire alarm investigation by simply re-locking the undamaged door.
• Protect your property from thousands of dollars in damage with this one-time, low cost investment.
• Depend on the highest lock box security available with attack resistant, UL tested reliability.
• Over the last 25 years, Knox-Box has been the chosen solution in 9,000 communities nationwide-communities like Perkins Township

 

Knox-Box Questions and Answers

What is a Knox-Box system?

It's a high-security box system, designed to give firefighters and emergency services immediate access to locked buildings, elevators, and other secured areas.

Why install a Knox-Box?

Installation of a Knox-Box on your property will not only allow firefighters faster access in case of an emergency, but will also prevent expensive forcible entry should emergency services be required while the premises are unoccupied. Costly front doors and entry ways needn't be harmed if entry keys are available on-site!

How does the Knox-Box system work?

Following your purchase of a Knox-Box from the factory, you will mount it securely on the exterior of your building; attractive recessed-mount models are available. All necessary access keys will be locked inside by a representative of the fire department; only the fire department's master key can open the box. The Knox-Box gives the fire department a simple alternative to expensive, time-consuming forcible entry. The generous interior capacity allows you to store everything emergency personnel may require--keys, floor plans, electronic entry cards, and more--in complete security until needed.

How secure is a Knox-Box system?

Security has always been a Knox strong point. Designed for maximum protection, each virtually indestructible box features a special high-security Medeco lock and key. This Medeco restricted locking system guards against unauthorized key duplication. Keys aren't even available to locksmiths or lock distributors--only The Knox Company can supply these keys! The Knox-Box system offers maximum security at every step. Each city has an exclusive key code. All Knox Box stations in that city are keyed alike--and only the fire department has master keys.

How is a Knox-Box installed?

Each Knox-Box is shipped with complete mounting instructions; however, your fire department will assist you in choosing a proper location for mounting. After installation is completed, the fire department will conduct an inspection of the installation and lock building keys inside the box. As soon as building keys are locked inside the box, it is ready to provide immediate access to emergency personnel-- 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Knox-Box Online Purchase Procedure

1. Go to Knox-Box
2. Click on "Product Line" to determine your product choice
3. Click "Online Purchase" to begin the order process
4. Enter the zip code (44870) where the Knox Box will be located
5. Select "Perkins Township Fire Department" then click continue
6. Select the item to be purchased, and fill in all required fields
7. Click "Add to Cart" and proceed to checkout
8. Select the applicable entry from the choices, and click next
9. Complete the billing information
10. When the Knox-Box arrives, contact the fire department at (419) 626-1334 and ask for Keith Eastman. We will meet with you to determine the best location for you new Knox Box, and once it has been installed, the key(s) will then be secured. Please keep in mind that if key changes are made to the building, the fire department needs to be notified immediately so the replacement keys can be placed into the Knox Box.

In the Interest of Safety,

Keith Eastman, Fire Marshal

Perkins Township Fire Department For more information about the use of the Knox-Box in Perkins Township contact Keith Eastman, Fire Marshal of the Perkins Township Fire Department at (419) 626-1334.

Knox Company - 1-866-625-4563

The original article can be obtained from the January 1998 issue of the "Pennsylvania Fireman" magazine.

"In the transmission of the heavenly waters, every hose fits every hydrant."
--- Ralph Waldo Emerson

To see a printable view of your hydrant Click Here

In our county we had 4 different hydrant thread designs and occasionally a hydrant with another department's thread would be installed where is should not be. Being a rapidly growing township it became difficult to keep up with the inspection of the new hydrant installations and at times found hydrants in our fire district with other departments thread design making it impossible for us to use. All the fire departments in Erie County knew this was a problem and so in the fall of 1997 a meeting was conducted to eliminate the problem.

Attending the meeting were area fire department representatives and the supervisor of the Erie County Water Department. It was decided that since all departments now use large diameter supply hose (LDH) that a 5" STORZ insert would be the new standard for all new installations throughout Erie County. In addition all replacements and upgrades would be fitted with the new insert as funding became available.

At this time 100's of hydrants throughout Erie County are now user friendly. Mutual Aid has been improved and the purchasing and installation of hydrants by the water department has been simplified due to the cooperation of all involved in this project.

Residents of Perkins Township! Adopt a Hydrant

To become a member of the Adopt a Hydrant program in Perkins Township all you need to do is to keep the area around the hydrant clean and free from weeds, snow and any obstruction that my hinder the fire department from connecting to it in the event of an emergency. By participating in this project you are helping to protect yourself and your neighbors from the ravages of fire. The protection of property depends on a well maintained water supply system so if you find a problem in your neighborhood, please contact the Perkins Township Fire Department or the Erie County Water Department on Columbus Avenue.

For additional information contact Dave Moyer, Erie County Water Department at (419) 627--1334

Mobile EMS

The Perkins Township Fire Department has chosen Clayton IDS MobilEMS System for their electronic reporting of EMS records. On November 5th and 6th Troy Elmore of Clayton IDS began training sessions for department members which included hands on training with the NEC 900 handheld units (pictured here). These units are designed to work with an infrared device that transfers the data to a computer and / or printer making paperless reporting fast and easy.

With "Instant On" and "Touch Screen" capabilities this unit provides our EMS personnel with all the tools necessary to generate accurate, professional looking patient reports. Preprogrammed pull down menus provide detailed information in every category of patient care, eliminating spelling errors and allowing our personnel to quickly enter the patients information. Pictured here Firefighter/EMT Steve Westcott uses the stylus and touch screen to enter a report

After completing an Emergency response our personnel simply bring the NEC 900 into the office, point it at the infrared device, press 2 keys and the reports are sent into the main computer and placed into the MobilEMS Software database for later processing. Once the records are in the main computer we are able to generate a variety of reports. Calculating "Scene Times", "In Hospital Times" and "Response Times" are just a few. Creating Q & A reports allows our Medical Director and EMS Officers to periodically evaluate our EMS personnel's patient care.

Mobile EMS Article

By LaRAYE BROWN
larayebrown@sanduskyregister.com

PERKINS TWP.

Some high-tech new equipment is designed to eliminate potential diagnostic pitfalls for patients of Perkins Township Fire Department medics.

Monday, crews began using an electronic reporting system which allows paramedics to easily compile information in the field.

The $19,000 system came with software, four handheld computers and three printers which use infrared signals to communicate with computers.

While enhancing emergency medical service reporting may seem like a small step, Capt. Bill Bechstein said it will be greatly beneficial to the department.

"This is the beauty of the thing: Improper reporting is going to be a thing of the past," Bechstein said.

With the new system, medics enter patient information into handheld computers while at the scene and during the trip to the hospital. The computer software then uses information to compile a narrative report which the medics can edit as needed. By the time the ambulance arrives at the hospital, the report is ready to be printed, meaning hospital staff will no longer have to wait up to 20 minutes for the medics to complete a hand-written report.

"They will get it faster from us and they'll get it a lot moreaccurately," Bechstein said.And the staff won't have to decipher illegible handwriting, potentially a big problem considering that many drugs have similar names although they are completely different products.With the new system, drug names are listed on pull-down menus, so the medics can include in the report what drugs were administered during the ambulance ride and what drugs the patient is taking.

Also listed on pull-down menus are all the street names in the area. The software also calculates age.Patients who are able can use a stylus to sign the screen of the laptop to acknowledge they have received a copy of the federal patient privacy regulations.

"It's just like the UPS (computer)," Bechstein said. "They sign right on the screen and when we print out our report, we have their electronic signature."

Bill Burger, one of the department's firefighter medics, said the new system will save as much as 40 minutes on each report.After reports are downloaded to desktop computer, they are sent to the state and to MED 3000, the suburban Dayton company the township hired in April to serve as its third-party billing agency.

MED 3000 charges the township 10 percent of what it collects.Jerry Baumgardner, chairman of the board of trustees, said the new reporting system will make it easier for the township to report to MBI, thereby reducing the cost of the contract.

He said he was unsure of the new rate.

"They are just going to give us a better rate," Baumgardner said. "By the time (the fire department) send(s) the report, it's already completed. All they have to do is send the bill out."