Help me get my drugs!

M

med109

Forum Crew Member
Messages
54
Reaction score
1
Points
0
We keep our narcs, 12 and 14 gauge needles, and IO gun inside the rig in a locked cabinet. When you enter the back of the rig from the side door, immediately to the right is where we keep the heart monitor and larger gear bags, above that is a locked cabinet that flips up to open. It is locked with a keypad code lock. Punch in the code, turn the handle, and pull the other handle on the cabinet, and it opens.

Today, I had a patient who needed pain meds and the cabinet would NOT open! We have tried everything and can't get it open. I think the latch is bent. Now, how do I fix it? Someone mentioned removing the hinge to take the door off, but it has a piano hinge, so we can't remove the hinge.

SO, any ideas? ALL of the narcs are in this cabinet. I thought about calling the manufacturer, but medtec is no longer in buisness. So any help would be great!
 
Umm... Call your supervisor? And take the rig out of service?
 
Anjel said:
Umm... Call your supervisor? And take the rig out of service?
Click to expand...

+1. Take the rig out of service and take it to the mechanic or if absolutely nessassry break the cabinet or lock..
 
med109 said:
We keep our narcs, 12 and 14 gauge needles, and IO gun inside the rig in a locked cabinet. When you enter the back of the rig from the side door, immediately to the right is where we keep the heart monitor and larger gear bags, above that is a locked cabinet that flips up to open. It is locked with a keypad code lock. Punch in the code, turn the handle, and pull the other handle on the cabinet, and it opens.

Today, I had a patient who needed pain meds and the cabinet would NOT open! We have tried everything and can't get it open. I think the latch is bent. Now, how do I fix it? Someone mentioned removing the hinge to take the door off, but it has a piano hinge, so we can't remove the hinge.

SO, any ideas? ALL of the narcs are in this cabinet. I thought about calling the manufacturer, but medtec is no longer in buisness. So any help would be great!
Click to expand...

Call a supervisor, take the bus out of service...then call the fire department/locksmith (the fire department loves breaking stuff)

Edit: Any update?
 
If it affects chain of custody (controlled substances) use your management and get anything else in writing (if they tell you to just carry it, or fix it yourself).
 
med109 said:
We keep our narcs, 12 and 14 gauge needles, and IO gun inside the rig in a locked cabinet. When you enter the back of the rig from the side door, immediately to the right is where we keep the heart monitor and larger gear bags, above that is a locked cabinet that flips up to open. It is locked with a keypad code lock. Punch in the code, turn the handle, and pull the other handle on the cabinet, and it opens.

Today, I had a patient who needed pain meds and the cabinet would NOT open! We have tried everything and can't get it open. I think the latch is bent. Now, how do I fix it? Someone mentioned removing the hinge to take the door off, but it has a piano hinge, so we can't remove the hinge.

SO, any ideas? ALL of the narcs are in this cabinet. I thought about calling the manufacturer, but medtec is no longer in buisness. So any help would be great!
Click to expand...

27893254.jpg
 
Veneficus said:
call the FD, ask them to bring "the irons" because you cannot get in a door.

Of course you might want to just drill the lock.
Click to expand...

Drilling the lock is going to be the least destructive thing overall.
 
I should add, once you enter the code, you turn the handle to open. This handle keeps turning! You can turn it all the way around the the original position. It does this if you turn the knob right or left!
 
As everybody has said several times, just force it open. Drill it or pry it. Then fix the door afterwards.

Edit: See if your local FD has a rabbit tool. They should be able to get in pretty easily and quickly with it.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
How about thinking like a manager. Call a lock smith to open it. Not ask random strangers on a forum.

A lock smith will know exactly where to drill to pop the lock, without damaging the door. Saving the company hundreds in repairs.
 
reaper said:
How about thinking like a manager. Call a lock smith to open it. Not ask random strangers on a forum.

A lock smith will know exactly where to drill to pop the lock, without damaging the door. Saving the company hundreds in repairs.
Click to expand...

That's crazy. Don't do it. Get a 12 pound sledge. Who needs fire?
 
reaper said:
How about thinking like a manager. Call a lock smith to open it. Not ask random strangers on a forum.

A lock smith will know exactly where to drill to pop the lock, without damaging the door. Saving the company hundreds in repairs.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the oh so valueable piece of advice, I DID call MANY lock smiths. About half of them didn't answer, nor have they returned my call. The ones who did answer, wouldn't come this far on a Saturday. I have to wonder how much it would cost for a lock smith to come (after hours emergency) 100 miles round trip.

As a manager, I thought of ideas to fix the issue, none of them have worked, so I decided to think outside the box. I hoped there may be another ambulance somewhere in the world who may have had a similar issue and would have some advice.
 
What is more important, getting the lock box open, or how much a lock smith is going to cost? There are limited options for getting into the cabinet without destroying it.
 
A bit off topic, but if you are that far out in the boonies, why do you even need to lock things in a cabinet?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top