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Original poster

How do paramedics get into your home?

41 replies

Useranon1 · 27/05/2022 13:25

Just pondering this as I'm home alone with covid, in a 4th floor flat.

If I needed emergency help, how would they get in? I'd be too weak to buzz them or unlock my door?

Can you tell I'm bored and ill and my brain is rambling?!

OP posts:
Arnaque · 27/05/2022 13:41

If they can't get in they call Police to assist who have equipment ( and powers) to gain entry.
With some blocks of flats with communal entry , if council or HA, police often have the code to override the entry system as well

itsthesoundofthepolice · 27/05/2022 13:45

They phone the fire service who break in. The police then attend to stand by the insecure property until joiner attends to resecure.

Original poster
Useranon1 · 27/05/2022 13:48

Presumably I'd then have a massive bill to pay?! Worth thinking about in advance I guess for any other options.

OP posts:
Clevs · 27/05/2022 13:51

If there's a trade button in the intercom we use that (only works in daytime hours though).

Or we buzz another flat to let us in.

We can ask Police for assistance but if there's no threat to life you will have to pay for any repairs needed after they break doors or windows.

Fire service could get use their ladder up to an open window.

To be honest though, Police and Fire should only be used if there's a threat to life because not only is it a waste of resources if there's other ways of getting in, you will be liable for any damage made.

Clevs · 27/05/2022 13:52

If you're really concerned about it you could get a keysafe fitted by the main door (as long as it's a door that opens with a key and not automatic).

Irishfarmer · 27/05/2022 14:08

Yes they would break down the door, I'd imagine that will be the last thing on your mind. Do you have a trusted family/friend/ neighbour near by you could leave a key with? I live far away from my mam but her sister has a key to her house and vice versa. We have a key to my ILs house and they have one for ours.

DonnaRhea · 27/05/2022 14:09

If its an emergency they will call the fire brigade. You will not be wasting their time because the operator will make that decision
I hope you feel better soon

cultkid · 27/05/2022 14:10

I have been alone in the house and called an ambulance and I have just told them about the key safe on the front of the house
My husband has always gotten back in time

DenholmElliot1 · 27/05/2022 14:11

get a keysafe, tell your next of kin what the keysafe number is

If paramedics can't get in they will access your medical records and ring your next of kin who will give them the keysafe number.

LadyLolaRuben · 27/05/2022 14:12

Police are called to access

PeterpiperpickedapeckofpickledPEPPAS · 27/05/2022 14:12

Do you know your neighbors? Could you give a spare key to a trustworthy neighbor in case of emergency? Or a family member who lives fairly locally?

Bakedpotatoesfortea · 27/05/2022 14:13

Sometimes they get the police to come as they can force the door (with a door ram). Sometimes the fire service if it is harder to gain entry, as they can get in through a window and also have tools which can cut through most doors and locks.

I believe that they then replace the door or locks, or make sure to secure it adequately free of charge

thingymaboob · 27/05/2022 14:16

Paramedic here.
We'd use the least damaging technique if we had time. If you were conscious and breathing we'd call police / fire brigade and wait if we could. If anything time critical (chest pain / shortness of breath / stroke etc) we would call police (they have a great door bashing tool) but also attempt to break in ourselves by climbing in through window or kicking in a door. I've been a paramedic for over 10 years and kicked in a few doors. They were all instances where an initial call had been made but then there was no answer and person presumed collapsed etc. I remember one where a huge German shepherd was going crazy and I could see a man's feet on the floor behind the sofa. It was pretty scary because of the dog!

DogInATent · 27/05/2022 14:16

They ask the police to bring the Big Red Key.

Spitescreen · 27/05/2022 14:16

A friend who went into full-blown labour on her first-floor landing when home alone in a place she’d just moved to, and then started bleeding heavily, to was advised by emergency services operator that if she wasn’t able to let in the paramedics, they would call police to break in. She made it down the stairs. She said afterwards she was very fond of her new front door and didn’t want it smashed.

Clevs · 27/05/2022 14:16

DenholmElliot1 · 27/05/2022 14:11

get a keysafe, tell your next of kin what the keysafe number is

If paramedics can't get in they will access your medical records and ring your next of kin who will give them the keysafe number.

No we won't. We need the patient's consent to access their GP record and there's not normally next of kin details on there anyway.

Honeyroar · 27/05/2022 14:18

It’s a good point. An ex colleague of mine had a heart attack in his own flat (he was got and 34). He just managed to unlock his front door and call 999 before he collapsed. He was found unconscious. (He survived and is ok now. It was a DVT, I think)

Honeyroar · 27/05/2022 14:18

A key safe is a good idea.

Procrastatron · 27/05/2022 14:20

This nearly happened to me and my home when I was suspected of being collapsed inside (I was actually already at hospital). According to neighbours they tried lots of entry points before calling the police, they also asked around a lot to try and get hold of me. The police came very close to breaking the door down but they located me. (And I was fine)

Are you this unwell already? If you are you should call 999, If you are worried you should ring 111. Take care x

WonderingWanda · 27/05/2022 14:20

Useranon1 · 27/05/2022 13:48

Presumably I'd then have a massive bill to pay?! Worth thinking about in advance I guess for any other options.

I don't really get what you mean with this comment op, what would you like to happen instead? For them to just go away again and not help you? Or are you thinking of not calling an ambulance if you needed one because of the cost? That would be foolish, not being able to pay a bill and getting into debt is horrible but not worth risking your life over. I hope that you aren't too poorly and don't require an ambulance at all.

Original poster
Useranon1 · 27/05/2022 14:37

No I meant thinking of other options before it ever gets that bad, like key safes.

We're not allowed key safes in my block of flats though unfortunately and no trade button or emergency red key access on main door. But I imagine they could get a neighbour to buzz them in.

One of my neighbours does have a key but we're like passing ships (London with long hours where you really only sleep in your flats!) so she might not be in. So if ever in the situation I would prioritise opening my internal front doors

OP posts:
Clevs · 27/05/2022 14:43

Useranon1 · 27/05/2022 14:37

No I meant thinking of other options before it ever gets that bad, like key safes.

We're not allowed key safes in my block of flats though unfortunately and no trade button or emergency red key access on main door. But I imagine they could get a neighbour to buzz them in.

One of my neighbours does have a key but we're like passing ships (London with long hours where you really only sleep in your flats!) so she might not be in. So if ever in the situation I would prioritise opening my internal front doors

If you can get up to open the internal doors, then surely you'd be able to get to the intercom to buzz them in?

It's a shame you're not allowed keysafes though. What if a resident is disabled and carers need access? Or elderly with poor mobility?

butimjayigetaway · 27/05/2022 15:13

My neighbour has a key.

I was so ill the other month, a stomach bug, I felt so very bad I considered sending a text to my dad telling him to get over here and take care of my daughter. I thought I was going to die. Think I was a bit delirious and also panic when not well. I wrote the message 'come here, take care of Marlisa, key is at Sarah's' and thought I'd press send if/when necessary.

Never materialised, obvs.

NotAnotherUserNumber · 27/05/2022 15:13

This happened to me a few years ago. They called the police who broke the door down.

The police then arranged for a locksmith to come and make it temporarily secure and waited to check this was done (I had gone off to hospital on the ambulance long before, so no idea how long this took).

I wasn’t charged anything for this part, but when I was out of hospital I did have to hire someone to fix the door properly which cost a few hundred pounds as the police had (quite rightly) only had it made safe and secure and not actually fixed it properly.

MissyCooperismyShero · 27/05/2022 16:32

This barely ever happens. Lots of people say they are too weak to open the door, but when threatened with 'the big red key' manage to open the door. Or if this is s known issue they leave a key with a neighbor or in a key safe or hiding place outside.