[Misc] Emergency Services And Access To Local Buildings

[Eeyore]

At 2.15 this morning my intercom went. The video showed two police officers standing there. I knew immediately why. There is a flat along the corridor where a very angry man often kicks the shit out of his girlfriend. They had been called to a domestic. Or to put it more accurately, him behaving like a wild animal as usual.

I let them in and stood on the landing hearing them threaten to break the door down if he didn't let them in.

I am not bothered that they rang my number, although there are elderly folk with numbers close to it. What does bother me is that the police do not appear to have access codes to ALL blocks of flats for emergencies. This is the same for ambulances. I have witnessed an ambulance crew trying to get access to another block in Queen's Park late one night. This is a life or death matter. And in this situation the young lady may have lost a few more lumps whilst they were trying to get in.

I'm not sure what to do, but feel maybe an email to the police at the very least.

I'm convinced this could be a life or death matter. A block of elderly folk, especially one without video calls, may see folk reluctant to answer or disbelieving of who it might be.

I'm really unhappy at this. Not at being disturbed, just unhappy that folk could be suffering when the emergency services could simply ask for access to all buildings. I can't think that anyone would object.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

At 2.15 this morning my intercom went. The video showed two police officers standing there. I knew immediately why. There is a flat along the corridor where a very angry man often kicks the shit out of his girlfriend. They had been called to a domestic. Or to put it more accurately, him behaving like a wild animal as usual.

I let them in and stood on the landing hearing them threaten to break the door down if he didn't let them in.

I am not bothered that they rang my number, although there are elderly folk with numbers close to it. What does bother me is that the police do not appear to have access codes to ALL blocks of flats for emergencies. This is the same for ambulances. I have witnessed an ambulance crew trying to get access to another block in Queen's Park late one night. This is a life or death matter. And in this situation the young lady may have lost a few more lumps whilst they were trying to get in.

I'm not sure what to do, but feel maybe an email to the police at the very least.

I'm convinced this could be a life or death matter. A block of elderly folk, especially one without video calls, may see folk reluctant to answer or disbelieving of who it might be.

I'm really unhappy at this. Not at being disturbed, just unhappy that folk could be suffering when the emergency services could simply ask for access to all buildings. I can't think that anyone would object.

I had never considered this before - but yes, what you describe does seem ridiculous, and needs a solution.

I hope your young lady neighbour is okay, and gets the help and support she needs.

 

[beorhthelm]

you're suggesting the police and others have an infinte skeleton key or override for every access system. other than not technically possible, i think there'd be more objection to police having such open access.

 

[keaton]

At 2.15 this morning my intercom went. The video showed two police officers standing there. I knew immediately why. There is a flat along the corridor where a very angry man often kicks the shit out of his girlfriend. They had been called to a domestic. Or to put it more accurately, him behaving like a wild animal as usual.

I let them in and stood on the landing hearing them threaten to break the door down if he didn't let them in.

I am not bothered that they rang my number, although there are elderly folk with numbers close to it. What does bother me is that the police do not appear to have access codes to ALL blocks of flats for emergencies. This is the same for ambulances. I have witnessed an ambulance crew trying to get access to another block in Queen's Park late one night. This is a life or death matter. And in this situation the young lady may have lost a few more lumps whilst they were trying to get in.

I'm not sure what to do, but feel maybe an email to the police at the very least.

I'm convinced this could be a life or death matter. A block of elderly folk, especially one without video calls, may see folk reluctant to answer or disbelieving of who it might be.

I'm really unhappy at this. Not at being disturbed, just unhappy that folk could be suffering when the emergency services could simply ask for access to all buildings. I can't think that anyone would object.

I think a lot of people would object.

Also why limit it to flats? Surely it should be all houses?

 

[Eeyore]

you're suggesting the police and others have an infinte skeleton key or override for every access system. other than not technically possible, i think there'd be more objection to police having such open access.

I don't agree. They are not gaining access to individual homes. Just the chance to get into a premises. There are laws about how access works. I cannot think of a single person in my own block who would object. Except, perhaps, the turd who likes using his girlfriend as a punch bag.

 

[Eeyore]

I think a lot of people would object.

Also why limit it to flats? Surely it should be all houses?

See Post 5

 

[Herr Tubthumper]

you're suggesting the police and others have an infinte skeleton key or override for every access system. other than not technically possible, i think there'd be more objection to police having such open access.

I do not know about the police BUT post and dustmen have a key to access apartment blocks over here, otherwise they will not be able to deliver post or pick up rubbish. I can only imagine the emergency services do as well.

 

[The Clamp]

It’s a good idea. Posties and utilities people have master keys and access codes. Why not Emergency services?

I’m guessing police and fire crew could just batter doors down if need be but ambulance crews? Could be useful.

I’m not sure why people should be concerned about police having access? They’re not going into your flat.
No different to patrolling your residential street. They’re not arbitrarily going into dwellings, juts communal areas and flats where there may be a risk to life
Would be handy to patrol a few of the less savoury blocks, make sure dealers etc aren’t harrasing other residents.

 

[Justice]

I install door entry systems from time to time and could buzz my self in to any block of flats I wanted to. If you know what you are doing they are basically crap security. Council/housing association often have an engineers code on file which could technically be logged with the emergency services. Private blocks no chance.

 

[beorhthelm]

I don't agree. They are not gaining access to individual homes. Just the chance to get into a premises. There are laws about how access works. I cannot think of a single person in my own block who would object. Except, perhaps, the turd who likes using his girlfriend as a punch bag.

lucky to live in such a nice place. i can think many would see it otherwise. there's a reason for having locked entrances in the access in first place. maybe you should start to campaign by having your block remove the locks and go from there. feels like an emotional response to incident, its not a practical one.

 

[The Clamp]

I install door entry systems from time to time and could buzz my self in to any block of flats I wanted to. If you know what you are doing they are basically crap security. Council/housing association often have an engineers code on file which could technically be logged with the emergency services. Private blocks no chance.

Good points.

 

[Eeyore]

I install door entry systems from time to time and could buzz my self in to any block of flats I wanted to. If you know what you are doing they are basically crap security. Council/housing association often have an engineers code on file which could technically be logged with the emergency services. Private blocks no chance.

Exactly. This is my point. I feel it should be mandatory for private blocks to provide access codes. Such access, and reasons for, is bound by statute. But having witnessed an ambulance crew being halted by inability to gain access once, it is such a crucial issue.

 

[beorhthelm]

I do not know about the police BUT post and dustmen have a key to access apartment blocks over here, otherwise they will not be able to deliver post or pick up rubbish. I can only imagine the emergency services do as well.

a good point. so perhaps this is a legal or procedural matter restricting access, especially for police.

 

[The Clamp]

I’m quite intrigued by this subject.

Google offers up this;

“How do emergency services access apartment buildings UK?


To facilitate such access, the Police and Fire Services have collaborated to create a secure emergency access protocol. This involves the creation of a secure external box mounted near the main entrance of the building (and other locations in larger developments) with a Fire-fighters switch inside”


“How do police get into flats?


In some buildings the police,fire and EMS have a master key that fits all the doors in a complex. Sometimes just knocking on the door gets it opened up by the occupant”.

“We used and encouraged businesses and security limited access occupancies to buy a Knox box. We had a key box in every engine and ever fireman had their own unique key code to remove the key. The time and code was logged in the key box and a blue flashing light eliminates when the key is removed. It will flash until the key is returned and locked. Time is logged again. The Knox box is mounted outside by the front door with any keys needed for access. The boxes are provided with a switch that can be worked into an alarm system.

For gated communities and gated access businesses we try to get them to install a SOS system. The gates can be opened with a particular siren frequency. There is also a keyed switch that uses the Knox key.

We also had a list with codes for the keypads.

When all else fails, forcible entry. Make our day. What fireman doesn’t like forcible entry”.

 

[deletebeepbeepbeep]

I do not know about the police BUT post and dustmen have a key to access apartment blocks over here, otherwise they will not be able to deliver post or pick up rubbish. I can only imagine the emergency services do as well.

Over here flatblocks generally have a 'tradesmans' buzzer which grants access between specific times, usually the morning for a few hours. I think ours is between 7am and 11am.

 

[A1X]

I suspect it'll be one of those things that nothing changes until something horrible has happened and it hits national headlines as a result

 

[Boys 9d]

I live in a block of flats where the external door has a lock for which each resident has a key. There is no external electronic key pad. It can't be unique so does that mean that each emergency services needs a key bank which may contain a large number of items (I won't speculate how many)?

 

[LamieRobertson]

Codes aside….i wonder how many keys would have to be carried by each patrol car…ambulance etc …..police obviously can get into homes by force …one presumes they would do the same if it was an emergency at a block of flats ….ambulance gets called …presumably the person calling would let them in or again point out it would need to be broken down ……whilst the OP obviously has his heart in the right place I can’t see how it could possibly work

The poster who represents Germany …I’m guessing the ‘dustmen’ only carry keys etc that are relevant to their particular delivery route?

 

[Eeyore]

I live in a block of flats where the external door has a lock for which each resident has a key. There is no external electronic key pad. It can't be unique so does that mean that each emergency services needs a key bank which may contain a large number of items (I won't speculate how many)?

I think it's a problem in a number of older builds. But I think there should be a statutory requirement, subject to certain legal restraints, for emergency services access remotely. UK law is normally good at this.

 

[Guy Fawkes]

“How do police get into flats?
In some buildings the police,fire and EMS have a master key that fits all the doors in a complex. Sometimes just knocking on the door gets it opened up by the occupant”.

Police master key in action: