BAKERSFIELD, Calif. -- A woman has expressed worry about the safety of apartment complex security gates after she said police and ambulance crews were delayed in responding to a 911 call.

Managers with the Emerald Glen complex would not comment, but work appears to be underway at the gate in question.

Iris Franklin lives in a unit off 38th street in the large complex. About two weeks ago, she called 911 when her infant nephew stopped breathing.

"The baby fights to breathe," Franklin told Eyewitness News. "And he stopped breathing for a minute, and my mom had asked me to call the ambulance."

Franklin said she was on the phone with the 911 operator, and was told police should be on there. But, they hadn't reached the apartment. She said that's when she realized they might be stuck outside the security gates. Franklin said she ran down, and across the parking lot to the gate.

"The police were out here," she said -- pointing to the outside of the large gate. "And they actually had their foot on some part, they were trying to hop the fence."

Franklin said the officers didn't have the access code for the security gate. But she adds that wouldn't have helped, since that day the access pad was broken, and the only way to get the gate open was using a remote control.

On March 11 Eyewitness News looked at that access pad. A display did not read out, and it appeared to be inoperable.

On March 19 Eyewitness News went back. The access pad now had a display that read "power down, xchang chip." It appeared the unit was being repaired.

The large apartment complex has three other entrances with security gates. The access pads at those appear to be functioning.

Several other entrances have been locked up. Franklin said that's probably for increased security, and that is a real concern. She said there have been several murders at the complex during the time she's lived there.

But, she worries about the need for emergency crews to get into the complex when needed.

Bakersfield Battalion Chief Garth Milam agreed that is an issue, and emergency access can be a challenge.

"It can be a problem, but what we have to do is somehow balance security issues with EMS -- or emergency medical issues," Milam told Eyewitness News.

The chief said fire crews have several ways to get into security gates, and the idea is to have back-up methods.

Milam said fire crews have a universal key that will open special boxes at security gate locations. Once that box is opened, it contains a "personalized" key to open that security gate system.

"We can (also) get an access code that might be transmitted to us upon dispatch," Milam said. And we can have a remote. Because there's such a large facility, and there's multiple gates, we can have remote controls to enter." Milam said the fire department has a remote for access to Emerald Glen.

He noted having a remote works well for fire crews, because the same fire station will almost always respond to any given location. But, police and ambulance crews could come from many different areas, so having a remote isn't practical.

But, Milam said ambulance and law officers can also get the access codes for security systems.

"They, of course, can receive the same code information that we can," Milam said. Though he added, there can be more delays for law enforcement or ambulance crews.

"The delay is usually only minimal," Milam said.

Eyewitness News called managers for Emerald Glen on March 11 and again on March 15, but no one would respond to questions. Spokeswoman Karen Thaler was reached in the Los Angeles-area by phone on March 19, but she would not comment.

"It's not our habit to talk to the media," Thaler said.

Chief Milam said fire crews hope apartment facilities like Emerald Glen are making every effort to make that balance between security and access for emergency crews. But, he said residents can also take some responsibility.

"Sometimes it's incumbent upon the person who calls (911) to make sure someone gets out there, and makes sure the gate is open," Milam advised. He also said anyone who lives in a gated community could check with their nearby fire station to see how emergency access is handled.