You’ll hear him before you see him. Whether it’s the couple dozen pieces of brass and steel on his key ring jingling against each other or the grinding of a new key being made in his workshop on the fifth floor of the Hospitality Inn, it’s hard to miss Al Cole, locksmith, Public Safety, UPMC Williamsport.
Al has been a fixture at UPMC in North Central Pa. for more than 30 years. First as an EMT in the 1990s before making a change to security in 2000 and then as a locksmith in 2014. Al didn’t drop his responsibilities as a security officer when he became a fulltime locksmith. He still fills in when needed. But his main role is helping staff lock and unlock the countless doors, drawers, safes, and fasteners. He’s responsible for any and all locks; office doors, cabinets, safes, and patient bedside drawers.
If it has a lock, Al has probably replaced it or made a key for it in his 10 years on the job. He’s responsible for all keys and locks at UPMC Williamsport, UPMC Williamsport Divine Providence Campus, UPMC Muncy, UPMC Outpatient Emergency Department in Lock Haven, and the Primary Care locations in Williamsport, Montoursville, Loyalsock, Lewisburg, Muncy, and McElhattan.
A former truck driver in the Army, Al has finally found his true calling. He comes from a long line of tradesmen that worked with their hands, and now he gets to do the same on a daily basis.
Al’s position holds a high level of responsibility. On his large key ring that is always at his side, he has access to many, if not all locks at the locations he oversees. He carries keys known as the Great Grand Master that can get into any lock that is made from the same manufacturer, like Schlage or Corbin.
When he’s not fulfilling his security officer duties, Al is usually in his workshop satisfying email requests and work orders, which comes out to about one new key a day. His wall is lined with thousands of keys while his cabinets and drawers are filled with more keys, locks, spare parts, and binders with key and lock codes and guides. Everything is meticulously labeled and has a place, even old keys that are no longer in use; he never knows if and when he’ll need them again.
A solid wooden work bench holds three different automated key cutters, two manual key cutters, and a Craftsman drill press that belonged to his father. All keys are cut, polished, and stamped before being distributed. Al even creates his own locks that can fit custom-made keys. He’ll take tiny cylinders and springs and can have a new lock constructed and keyed within minutes. He’ll build and install the lock and cut the key. Al even helps out with the key card readers and electronic locks from time to time.
“I like what I do. I do. I really do…I took the position as a locksmith and often say to people that I missed my calling…I love this work."
“We have generators, we have power backups, we have power packs for computer systems. But if it all fails, you’re going to need the magic brass to get in the door. That’s the bottom line,” Al said. “That’s the thing that people don’t realize is that it’s always going to be there. I like what I do. I do. I really do.”
A former truck driver in the Army, Al has finally found his true calling. He comes from a long line of tradesmen that worked with their hands, and now he gets to do the same on a daily basis.
“I took the position as a locksmith and often say to people that I missed my calling,” Al said. “I love this work.”
