Defeating a Gated Entry

There are numerous obstacles that firemen will encounter on daily basis that can leave us feeling frustrated, or even defeated. Among them are locked doors and gates that stand between us and the people we are trying to get to in a hurry. Unfortunately, working in a city with thousands of gated residences, both single-family and multi-family occupancies, has the tendency to bring up this feeling often. We can do our best to log gate codes and carry a universal key, Knox or otherwise, but the fact remains that these efforts do not guarantee simple access. Firefighters aren't the type to admit defeat. We will find a way in. 

For the majority of these gates, the opening mechanism is triggered by a magnetic switch installed in ground. That switch is most often engaged when a vehicle pulls up to the gate. The metal of the vehicle causes the magnetic contacts to create a completed circuit, and open the gate. With this logic, we can know that a vehicle is not the only source of metal that can get the gate to open. Check out the video below. 

 

Some companies have gotten creative in the methods they use to accomplish the same task. Houston Fire Department Station 82 created a disk with a tag line that can be thrown like a Frisbee over the opening mechanism. This is a simple design that uses a recycled piece from a clothes dryer, and yet it is extremely effective. 


Thinking outside the box is what moves this profession forward. Don't be afraid to challenge the status quo.