by Ben Sehnert
news@thenewsleaders.com
Nearly eight years ago, two members of the St. Joseph Fire Station conceived of a project to prevent damages to residential homes in cases of forced entry, specifically to homes where home-owners may not be able to reach the door readily. By extending the idea of using “lockboxes” from commercial to residential properties, these firefighters decided to purchase several lockboxes which could be placed outside of various homes, granting firefighters easy access to each residence. Every lockbox contains a key to a residential or commercial space, yet only the firefighters possess the key to the lockbox itself.
Jeff Taufen, the current St. Joseph fire chief and one of the original two architects of the program, said local organizations, such as the St. Joseph Lions Club and Jaycees, have in the past assisted in funding the purchase of lock-boxes for the elderly and medically disabled.
“It gives them . . . a safe feeling that I can stay in my house and yet I can still get help without anyone knocking down doors,” Taufen said.
Currently, the fire station’s program includes five lockboxes, which they lease out to residents. However, the size of that program doubled May 25 when the fire station marked the purchase of five new lockboxes, a purchase made possible by a $700 donation by the Metro Citizens Police Academy Alumni Association.
The Metro Citizens Police Academy was formed in 2003 and consists of an eight-week course designed to offer citizens of St. Joseph, Sartell, Sauk Rapids, St. Cloud and Waite Park insight into the training of police officers in the St. Cloud metro area. The academy’s alumni association continues the mission of facilitating greater understanding between citizens and their respective police departments. As part of its work, the MCPAAA conducts an annual fundraiser and rotates between the five area police departments in distributing the proceeds.
Adam Wicklund, president of the MCPAAA, said the idea for the lockboxes came from the St. Joseph Police Department in consultation with the fire department.
“We let the departments suggest what they need, so when we did our fundraiser we promoted that this is where the funds were going,” Wicklund said.
The May 25 meeting, at which both members of MCPAAA and representatives from the fire station were present, also marks the beginning of the process to determine how best to distribute the lockboxes within St. Joseph.
Taufen said residents who believe they would be served by the lockboxes can submit a form to the fire station, requesting they be considered as candidates for a lockbox installation. Candidates will then be judged according to several criteria, such as frequency of emergency calls to their address, medical disabilities or age. However, due to the donation from the MCPAAA, residents who receive lock-boxes will be able to use them free of charge.
Metro Citizens Police Academy Alumni Association members mark the donation of five lockboxes at the St. Joseph Fire Hall on May 25. Members include (front row, left to right) Carol Gruba, Kim Asmus, Fred Hinkle, Sue Hinkle and Donna Kellor; (middle row) Mark Gruba, Dory Dahlberg, Jeff Mo, Kathy Sherrard, Liz Hollencamp, Fire Chief Jeff Taufen and Adam Wicklund; and (back row) Cory Quinn, Troy Hinkle, Dave Boese, Jerry Middelstadt, Vince Thiel and Police Chief Joel Klein.
