If you are locked out of your home, car, or some other area, it is usually just an inconvenience. You call a locksmith and follow the typical steps to get back in. If you have locked your keys in your car and are stranded with no ride or if you’re locked out of your house and no one can help you for hours, an emergency locksmith can usually help and will respond quickly.
However, in a true emergency, you should call 911 instead of a locksmith. Some situations are serious because someone is or may be in danger. Don’t wait for locksmith services in these 7 scenarios.
1. Children are locked in the car.
When children are involved in any situation it can quickly become more serious. If children are locked in a car alone, especially on a hot or even mildly warm day, call 911. The interior of a vehicle can become hot quickly, even on a cool day if the sun is out. There are also plenty of ways children can hurt themselves inside a car with no adult supervision. Once you call 911, talk to the child or children calmly and keep them engaged while you wait for help to arrive.
2. Children are locked in the house.
If there are children locked inside of a house or apartment without any adult supervision, this is an emergency. Call 911 to gain access to the home rather than an emergency locksmith. There are even more ways inside a house for children to be harmed than in a vehicle. In this situation, the ages of the children may be a deciding factor in whether or not the situation constitutes an emergency. You know your children and their ages, so act accordingly. If you’re not sure of the ages of the children inside, call 911 to be safe.
3. Children are locked out of the house.
If your child got off the bus or walked home from school and realized they forgot their key or no adult is home, this may be an emergency if they have nowhere else to go. Weather is another factor to take into consideration when deciding if this is an emergency. If it’s freezing cold outside or extremely hot, the child should not be outside for long. Also, depending on the age of the child, they may not be ok alone for long. Call 911 to ensure the safety of your child if they are locked out of the house alone.
4. There is a fire.
If you are locked out of a house or a vehicle that is on fire, immediately call 911. You should never enter a burning building or car in any case, so locksmith services are not what you need.
5. Someone is in distress and you can’t get in to help.
If you look through the window of a house or car and someone appears to be hurt, sick, or unconscious, call 911. The person may need medical attention immediately and if paramedics can get to the scene fast enough it could save their life. Calling a locksmith to let you in to check on them could waste precious time.
6. You have reason to believe that someone is in danger.
Even if you can’t see a person through a window, but you have any reason to think that there is someone inside who may be in danger, call 911. Better it be a false alarm than a death that could have been prevented.
7. Your house has been broken into.
A burglary is nothing to take lightly. Call 911 and don’t enter your home until it has been deemed safe. Once the police have inspected your home and filed a report, then it is time to seek out locksmith services.
When to Call a Locksmith
There are plenty of situations where it does make sense to call a locksmith. Such situations include:
- You are locked out of a car or house with no emergency at hand.
- Your key broke off in the lock of your house or car door.
- You lost a computer chip key or fob and need to have it replaced.
- You need to have a lock rekeyed.
- You need a new set of keys for your home or car.
- Other lock and key needs.
When a Locksmith Can’t Help You
There are some things a locksmith either cannot or will not help you gain access to. Here’s what a locksmith won’t open:
- Some safes
- Vaults
- Smartlocks
- Rare or complicated locks
- Thumbprint or visual recognition locks
- “Unpickable” locks
Texas Premier Locksmith Makes Safety a Top Priority
At Texas Premier Locksmith we put people’s safety and wellbeing over our business, which is why we want you to know when to call 911 and when to call us. When in doubt, call 911 first and us second.
If you do need locksmith services, call (866) 948-8188 or contact us. We provide residential, automotive, and commercial locksmith services.