SACO — When public safety personnel respond to an emergency situation, every second matters.

If a firefighter or emergency medical technician responds to a call at a home and the door is locked, they will do what they have to in order to get to inside as quickly as possible, even if it means knocking the door down.

However, breaking down the door can be avoided if a homeowner has a Knox HomeBox key vault installed outside the main entrance to the home. A key to the house is stored inside the small, secure vault, which can only be unlocked by first responders.

The key vaults are made of reinforced cast Zinc and powder coated for weather resistance and come with a limited life-time warranty, according to information from the Knox website.

Saco Deputy Fire Chief David Pendleton said the fire department is notified when residents install Knox HomeBoxes, so dispatchers are aware when an emergency call comes in from an address with a HomeBox.

Age Friendly Saco, a volunteer effort seeking to make Saco a livable place for all ages, has partnered with the Saco Fire Department and Dupuis Hardware in Biddeford to promote the HomeBoxes.

“Fire departments have been trusting these boxes for over 40 years. With one on your door, emergency assistance is never out of reach,” states information on the key vaults provided by Age Friendly Saco.

Age Friendly volunteer handyman Dick Hilton has installed one on his condominium door. He also donated the approximately $1,900 to purchase 12 HomeBoxes which were installed on Tuesday at the front entrance door to each of the 12 buildings at the Academy Place condominium complex, where he lives.

“If it saves a life, isn’t $1,900 worth it,” said Hilton.

For more information about Knox HomeBox key vaults, call Age Friendly Saco at 710-5029, visit www.sacomaine.org/AgeFriendly or go to www.knoxhomebox.com.

— Staff Writer Liz Gotthelf can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 325 or egotthelf@journaltribune.com.