RCFD

KEY BOXES

Richland Center Fire Department Key Box Program

The Richland Center Fire Department offers a key box program for both businesses and residences. If you’re interested in allowing the fire department access to your building, here’s how it works:

  1. Secure Key Boxes:
    • Keys to your building are stored in a secure box attached to the exterior of your property.
    • Only the fire department holds the master key necessary to open the key box.
    • The chosen key box brand for the RCFD is Supra Safe.
  2. Ordering a Key Box:
    • If you’d like to have a key box on your property, please contact the fire department to obtain the order form.
    • The form contains essential information that Supra will use to key the box to our master key.
  3. Residential and Commercial Options:
    • There are both residential and commercial versions of the key box available.
    • Having a key to your building allows the fire department to gain entry during emergencies (such as fires) without causing damage to the entrance door.
    • While we do have tools to forcibly enter buildings if necessary, having on-site keys streamlines our response.
  4. Enhanced Security:
    • In the past, the fire department used to carry keys on our first-out engine. However, this practice posed limitations.
    • Now, the RCFD no longer carries any keys except for the master key needed to access the key box.
    • This master key is distributed across multiple engines to ensure availability during emergencies.
  5. City Ordinance:
    • In 2015, the Richland Center City Council passed an ordinance mandating key boxes for certain types of facilities.
    • The city itself has also taken the lead by requiring key boxes on all city-owned buildings.

Remember, having a key box benefits both the fire department and property owners by ensuring efficient access during critical situations.