The latest news…#Wordless
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Kenosha News – Salem Parents Question School Security
Quico Ayala said, while he understands the value of the training, he believes school officials could do more to prepare teachers for intruders, whether by investing in padlocks so they aren’t scrambling for ways to barricade doors, metal detectors or even security guards.
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Fox 17 News – Middle Tennessee sheriff at odds with fire marshal over school safety plan
A middle Tennessee sheriff’s bold plan for school safety is being fought by state officials. Perry County Sheriff Nick Weems will show you how ridiculous it is to even pretend students are safe in schools. “These classroom door locks can be shot out and that doorway is open in no time….this is not secure this is not security,” Weems said.
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KY3 News – New lock invented by local principal to stop school intruders
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WNHT19 News – ‘Guardian Angel’ barricade system makes its way into schools across the country but not in Alabama
“Basically it has a key that you unlock. Inside of that key, it has a wench with a cable on it. You hit the release and goes onto it. It goes onto a ring that goes through the door. It has a hardened bulletproof, steel plate on the backside. When you hook that to it – it has a ratchet that you can crank to it,” explained Sargent. Sargent said it would take a trained teacher seven to nine seconds to get the barricade system in place.
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Jersey Shore Online – Stafford Schools Demonstrate Safety Measures
In 2015, the Stafford schools began implementing barricade devices to help ensure the safety of the staff and students as well, Ytreboe added, noting that they are different in every school. These barricades attach to the doors in various ways to help secure the classrooms against an intrusion or breach.
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#Wordless is right!
Obviously we are seeing an increased amount of concern for school safety in the last couple of years, but when are the school districts going to spend their money wisely and correctly safeguard our youths?
As for the principal to say “he’s not in it to make money”, I call B.S.! He’s seen everyone else come out with different barricade devices and thought: “why can’t I make a buck”.
Ok, sorry Lori, off my #Rantingsoapbox
A few weeks ago you posted a link to download a copy of the FBI publication “A Study of Active Shooter Incidents in the US Between 2000 and 2013”. Of the 27 school incidents (pre-k through 12), 14 (51.9%) took place inside classrooms and hallways. It would be interesting to know how many (if any) code-compliant locks failed which resulted in a casualty inside a classroom.
Hi Eric –
I don’t know of any code-compliant locks that have failed in an active-shooter event in a school. I DO know of code-compliant locks that have protected students and teachers during these events. I also know of school shootings where the shooter barricaded the door (not with a barricade device) and delayed the response of law enforcement, likely increasing the number of casualties. The issues with locks in school shootings have been 1) the teachers were not able to lock the doors and 2) the shooter broke the glass next to the hardware and reached through to turn the lever or push the touchpad of the panic hardware. Both of these can be addressed with key distribution and replacing the glazing or adding a film to increase the impact resistance.
– Lori
Different at every school, just what a first responder wants to have to deal with.
How soon will the recent “teacher barricades self inside room, fires gun” event soak into their heads?
Does Sheriff Nick go around shooting locks off suspects’ houses often? Is that Perry County Sheriff Office’s official entry method? I suppose not, if he hasn’t already realized that shooting a lock is a great way to permanently jam it. I hate these wannabe “operator” larper cops — they’re always parroting crap they got from Die Hard and Call of Duty.
Lori, what can we do to get in front of this within our school districts? Is this something the security industry has looked at as a priority to highlight the dangers of these “secure” devices, or highlight facts from these incidents that show the effectiveness of classroom locks?
Hi Evan –
I went to our school system’s buildings and grounds department years ago and helped with the selection of new locks for the classrooms. The schools in our district also put in an intercom and electrified hardware at each of the main entrances, and adopted a policy to keep the other exterior doors locked. I’m sure most schools would be receptive to help.
The problem right now is that schools are being pressured to add more security in the form of classroom barricade devices. We need to reassure the schools that the locks they already have are sufficient, and it’s not worth spending money on retrofit products that create additional hazards. In most states, the adopted codes include requirements that barricade devices can not meet, but it’s hard for people to see the negatives when they’re making decisions based on fear and emotion.
– Lori
Once again price overrides the cost of a human life .What about life safety?.Fire escape ? . While I admit its a great little device . What happens when the bracket is misplaced or the intruder uses it to barricade himself/herself in the room with the students? Any lock can be shot off a door . There is Nothing out there that cannot be subject to compromise to a determined individual . All we hope to do is DENY entry, DELAY entry, DETER entry and DETECT.( However in these circumstances detection is already known ) There are many great locks designed for the Lockdown senario. LETS STOP LOOKING FOR A CHEAP ALTERNATIVE !!!What is the price of a child … to the parent or guardian its PRICELESS.
I have been to 3 school districts this week addressing security measures. At one the maintenance director was on the verge of putting a simple barrel bolt on every classroom. I did not know this when I started in with my generic warning about barrricade devices or any lock that cannot be unlocked from outside the door with a key. He said “I’m glad you said that, I hadn’t considered it and we were about to…” He asked if I had time to meet with the Superintendant right then. We had a meeting and (for now) prevented the installation of any additional hardware. (And advised them toward the appropriate hardware)
Everyone in education is looking for security enhancement. They don’t really care what is done, just so they see something being done, and this will actually have a negative impact on safety and security in short order, I’m afraid. Who gets blamed when a shooter barricades himself in a room with 30 kids? Or when a bully barricades himself in the room with a victim. Who gets blamed when a physical or sexual assault cannot be stopped in a timely manner because of a barricade device.
Here in Arkansas we had a State Legislator who is CEO of a company that manufactures barricade devices. The State Legistature recently (and conveniently) passed a law amending state fire code to allow the implementation of a device like his in Arkansas schools.
I would like any links that you have to abuse of a barricade device. People will not respond to logic when they are acting in fear. We need to show people whhy they should be afraid of barricade devices, and that can only be done by demonstration of these devices delaying help to a victim, in my opinion.
Hi Adam –
You and I are 100% on the same page. Unfortunately, the details of crimes in schools are not readily available, and I don’t know where to find this data other than by watching for news stories. We may never know if a kid uses a barricade device to lock the door and beat someone up. There have been several school shootings where the shooter barricaded the door with other materials (not a barricade device). This delayed law enforcement response and likely added to the casualties. Leaving the barricade device next to the door just makes it easier for someone to put the barricade in place and commit a crime or take hostages. Since it has already happened in school shootings, I don’t know why it’s so hard for people to make the connection. Here are some news reports about those 3 shootings:
https://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/inside-the-classroom-at-platte-canyon-high-school
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/04/26/AR2007042602558.html
http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/news/nation/2007-08-23-amish-shooting_N.htm
If there is anything that I can help you with, please let me know.
– Lori
School crime reports are collected by US Department of Education and US Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs, There is a lag time from collecting information to publishing the report. I belive this is the latest report.
https://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/pdf/iscs16.pdf
Fire Prevention Officer- Retired
Thanks! I’ve read this report – it’s full of valuable information, but it doesn’t get down to the level of detail where we could learn whether barricade devices were used in the incidents.
– Lori
Access control measures, such as this barricade lock, can go a long way in helping to keep schools safe. In fact, this lock can also be an asset to other commercial properties, such as businesses, hospitals, and apartment complexes.
I have to strongly disagree with you, Nicole. This type of lock is untested, can deter egress, is not listed for use on a fire door, and most of these products are not compliant with the accessibility standards and the Americans With Disabilities Act. If an untested, unregulated device is installed on a door, and an intruder gives the door a few kicks, how easy is it for the device to be removed in order to allow egress? And if an unauthorized person puts this device in place and assaults someone in the classroom, how do school staff members or emergency responders gain access to the room in order to help?
I’m surprised that a company with strong ties to life safety and security would support the use of devices that are not compliant with the model codes.
– Lori