Georgia school shooting: A hero emerges – Christian Science Monitor

Though the school has a system where visitors must be buzzed in by staff, the gunman may have slipped inside behind someone authorized to be there, Alexander said. The suspect, who had no clear ties to the school, never got past the front office, where he held one or two employees captive for a time, the chief said. Hill, who had address listed about three miles from the school, is charged with aggravated assault on a police officer, terroristic threats and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. There was no information on a possible court date.

Sunderland Blaze Hostel ‘Put Lives At Risk’ By Padlocking Fire Door – Sky

On arrival, after fighting the fire, crews discovered the fire exit nearest to the room on fire was padlocked shut with a heavy duty bike lock. This prevented the fire exit being used in this emergency situation. 

Initially, when asked, the night porter was unable to find the key for the lock and could not open the fire exit door. When he eventually located the key, he proceeded to snap it in the lock and fire crews had to cut the lock off to make sure the residents would be safe if another fire was to break out. This serious breach in fire safety led crews to request the attendance of a specialist Fire Safety Officer to investigate their findings.

Pa. man files class action suit against Modell’s Sporting Goods alleging ADA violations – The Pennsylvania Record

In the complaint, Cornelsen claims the Modell’s store in Willow Grove, Pa. lacks handicapped accessible parking and does not have an ADA compliant restroom.

The plaintiff says he visited the Montgomery County store in late June to purchase Philadelphia Phillies paraphernalia.

Cornelsen claims that during his visit to the Willow Grove Modell’s location, he had difficulty accessing the men’s room because of the force required by him to open the door and because the door’s closing mechanism was not adjusted to allow for the door to remain open long enough for him to get inside with his wheelchair.

Hollister ordered to redesign ALL U.S. store entrances after losing legal battle against disabled shoppers – Mail Online

The firm argued that it complies with the law because the stores include side doors disguised as shuttered windows that are wheelchair accessible.

However plaintiffs said these doors are often are blocked with tables stacked with merchandise and they should not be made to enter through an ‘inferior’ entrance. 

Ms Farrar, who was born without a sacrum – the triangular bone at the bottom of the spine – told The Colorado Independent: ‘I would never go through a side door. It’s not something I would do. I’m philosophically opposed to that.

‘These stores are designed to look shuttered and hidden, as if to keep out the riffraff. I want people to know that, as a society, we have evolved over the past 25 years.

Prison Computer ‘Glitch’ Blamed for Opening Cell Doors in Maximum-Security Wing – Wired

Florida prison officials say a computer “glitch” may be to blame for opening all of the doors at a maximum security wing simultaneously, setting prisoners free and allowing gang members to pursue a rival with weapons.

But a surveillance video released this week (see above) suggests that the doors may have been opened intentionally — either by a staff member or remotely by someone else inside or outside the prison who triggered a “group release” button in the computerized system. The video raises the possibility that some prisoners knew in advance that the doors were going to open.

It’s the second time in two months that all of the doors in the wing opened at once, officials say, raising questions about whether the first incident was a trial-run to see how long it would take guards to respond.

Schoolboy, 14, ‘barricaded woman teacher inside a classroom and laughed as he sexually assaulted her’ – Mail Online

A 14-year-old schoolboy has been jailed after he barricaded his teacher inside a classroom then laughed as he sexually assaulted her.

Desperate colleagues tried to break down the door when they heard the teacher screaming for help but could not stop the boy, now 15, from Wrexham.

Staff fought their way into the school’s computer room and pulled the ‘distressed and terrified’ teacher to safety.

Prosecutor Karl Scholz told Mold Crown Court: ‘The teacher and the boy were in the classroom when he closed the door and snapped the latch shut.

‘He told her he had things on his mind and took hold of her and hugged her.

‘She managed to get away and wanted to leave the room but realised the door was locked.

Kier fire door contract blasted in Stoke – Construction Enquirer

An independent report highlighted faults in workmanship by Kier Stoke contractors following complaints from residents about the new doors.

Around 66 doors inspected failed to open and close properly and did not meet the fire resistance standard of 30 minutes.

Kier Stoke has committed to put things right at no extra cost and will be working with its subcontractors to discover what went wrong.

Ingersoll Rand Announces Special Security Seminar And Webinars For School – Source Security

The seminar will be held September 17, 2013, from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm at the Gaylord Texan in Grapevine, Texas, and is a collaboration between private partners such as Ingersoll Rand Security Technologies, Timm, the American Clearinghouse on Educational Facilities (ACEF), the Texas Education Agency and Educational Service Centers across Texas. This interactive seminar will present real solutions, many of which can be implemented at little or no cost. Among the topics will be “Interactive Security Assessment Basics,” “Visitor Management Procedures,” “Overcoming Yesterday’s Design Challenges,” “Lockdown Procedures (including “Active Shooter Responses”)” and “Emergency Preparedness Basics.” The seminar is free but registration is required. Contact the ACEF at 855-610-2233 or acef@acefacilities.org.

Woman Trapped in Miami Home Dies in Fire: Authorities – NBC News 6

The grandmother of 30 stood at the front door and screamed for help. Neighbors and a police officer responded to 1544 NW 51st St. before fire rescue arrived. They found Joachim locked in the house by security bars covering all doors and windows.

“The flames were coming out and they were trying to get inside the house to get her out,” neighbor Ezekiel Wallace said. “Where they had the bars and stuff, they couldn’t get in there.”

Emergency in School? There’s an App for That – Firehouse

A new app piloted in the Dothan City Schools may help school staff communicate more quickly and securely in the event of an emergency.

Janice Horne, a school nurse at Honeysuckle Middle School, wanted to develop an app that would let school staff inform each other of medical emergencies quickly. Horne later realized such an app could also be helpful in the event of other school emergencies, such as an intruder. Horne got together with Matt Howard, a software developer, and together they created the MySchoolAlert app.

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