Palm Harbor firefighters break door to rescue patient, then repair damage

(Palm Harbor Fire Rescue)

Firefighters will do whatever it takes to rescue a person in need -- even if that means breaking down the door.

That's exactly what happened in Palm Harbor on Thursday, when a home health nurse looked into the window and saw an elderly man on the floor. But when she tried to get inside, all the doors were locked.

Palm Harbor Fire Rescue responded to the home and had to break the door jamb so they could rescue the man inside.

As the man was taken to the hospital, several firefighters stayed behind to rebuild the door jamb, using tools they found in the homeowner's garage.

They fixed the door, allowing the homeowner to recover in the hospital without worrying about the security of his home.

Officials said homeowners who want the fire department to be able to easily access their homes in cases of emergency can purchase a residential "Knox Box." The device securely holds a key to the home and is only accessible by first responders who can use it to quickly enter the house without causing damage to doors or windows.

LINK: For more information on "Knox Boxes," visit the company's website.