Securing your narcotic keys

[Ridryder 911]

carribeaner or pocket, so far in 30 yrs. nothing lost, hoever forgot them many times....

R/r 911

[northernmedic]

Our narcs are issued individually but we have keys to the replacment locker in each hospital to restock. I tie mine inside my narc belt pouch with a piece of bias tape so even if my pouch opens up I won't lose the key.

[Richard B the EMT]

The Paramedics of the FDNY EMS are each issued a key for the drug safe at the station they are assigned, The supervisor has their key on a station master keyring, and both are needed to unlock the safe, both an outer and inner door.

So...I'd think the key would be kept on the keyring of the individual Paramedic's choice.

[brentoli]

With my regular keys, they are on a carabiner (a REAL one, not the convience store ca ca). If I don't have pockets it clips nicely onto what ever my clothing choice for the day is. The spring on the latch is strong enough to keep it attached. I will even clip them to the outside of the pocket on my too tight jeans and they stay in place just fine.

[xselerate]

The Paramedics of the FDNY EMS are each issued a key for the drug safe at the station they are assigned, The supervisor has their key on a station master keyring, and both are needed to unlock the safe, both an outer and inner door.

So...I'd think the key would be kept on the keyring of the individual Paramedic's choice.

a funny fdny ems story...

fdny last year issued everyone new id cards with microchips and bio-security crap (fingerprint) in them... someone got the idea to field test a new system in one of the stations in which everyone would use their id card to enter the station and medics would also use their card to open the narc box... someone screwed something up and the narc box would pop open when someone tried to get in the front door.... whoops needless to say the system went away...

it is only a story... who knows how true lol

[Richard B the EMT]

Interlinking the microchip ID card with the access to the drug safe? Sounds like a decent idea, but if the story is accurate, I hadn't heard it.

That card is my access to the FDNY HQ, get in to my floor, and log in/out for the day so I can get paid. ( I am on light duty at HQ)

[UMSTUDENT]

I heard of a system recently that has a fairly innovative approach to handling their narcotics and drug box access problem. Apparently they've designed their system so that each individual paramedic has a unique access code that allows them to open up one of two doors to access the drug box. Then they have to radio dispatch on a unique channel, identify themselves somehow, and the dispatcher sends a special code through the digital signal back to the ambulance which opens the second door.

I think it's pretty neat. Keeps accountability for who is in which drugs box. In an ideal world I'd say we could trust every provider, but hey...this isn't Perfect and your local ambulance service certainly isn't Walgreens.

[elvismedic]

I like the idea of a swipe card. However the cost of keys is far less.

Presently, my keys are on a carabiner hung on my radio strap.

[brentoli]

Does Knox-Box make anything for this purpose? Or modified for this purpose?

I was thinking maybe a master key box in the cab, and then a lock box in the back. I don't know if any of their lock box's would be big enough for that purpose or not.

EDIT: Answered my own question:

[web:8aa9acc0a6]http://www.knoxbox.com/store/pubdoclib/MKT-KBBROC-0084-A.pdf[/web:8aa9acc0a6]

Wouldn't this fall into the 2 key protocol also?

#1 Key code to remove the master key

#2 Master key to the vault

No key on the belt or anywhere else to worry about?

[letsgonational]

We carry our keys on us as well as our narcs. I carry mine on a beaner; never lost them...just put the opening down then it wont come open and its easy to get them off easily. Some of the guys wear the flat key holder that slids on the belt. They wear it on the butt of their belts and put their keys in their back pocket. Cant even tell they're there. The other system I work for keeps them in the chiefs truck and they sign for them whenever they switch out. We have to call the chief when we want them replaced and they sit in a pouch in the top of the med bag (lock is combination and only the medics know it). There are risks you run into with a knox box system or leaving narcs locked in the top of a bag...we park at volunteer stations...numerous people are in and out and its really not that hard to steal them out of the bag....cut the bag! I prefer to carry them on my person and carry the key...I dont like the key being in the ambulance in the case of the knox system (anyone can get to it!). keep it on your body!!