Carol Heikema hopes she never has to call 911 for emergency services to her home. But if she does, she now feels a sense of comfort.
Last fall, the Hobart Fire Department installed a lockbox containing a spare house key on her front door. The department has a universal key to unlock the box if she calls 911 but is unable to open the door.
“I thought it was the right thing to do,” Heikema, 83, said.
She has since walked around her neighborhood to encourage other residents to have one installed.
“I wanted to set an example for my neighbors who are skeptical of firemen coming into their home," she said. "I believed if I did it, my neighbors would feel better.”