UHO (Unidentified Hardware Object)
'Enquiring' minds want to know...what was this used for? It's in the closet of an apartment building built in 1919, in St. Paul, Minnesota.
School Security and Safety in the News
Twenty years ago, I had no idea how the shooting at Columbine High School would affect our industry and my career. It was impossible to imagine that it was more than an isolated event. But here we are.
Virginia Tech: Remembering the Lessons Learned
This week marks 12 years since the tragic shooting at Virginia Tech. Considering the lessons learned during that incident, it's surprising that the use of classroom barricade devices would be considered by state lawmakers.
The Doors of Notre Dame Cathedral
As the world mourns the fire damage to the Notre Dame Cathedral, it turns out that the doors of Notre Dame are not just ordinary doors; there is a legend that dates back hundreds of years, to the 13th century.
Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Tragedy
This week marks the anniversary of a tragic fire that heavily impacted life safety codes and requirements for worker safety. It's important to understand these tragedies, to avoid repeating them.
ID Please
An iDigHardware reader needs your help identifying this lock! Any ideas?
Mysterious Hardware
This was posted by Lawrence Waters on the Truck Floor Training Facebook page, and it was also sent to me by a door hardware consultant / firefighter friend. Anybody know what it is?
Amazing Lock From The 1600s
I'm having a "staycation" this week so I probably won't add any new (old) locks to my collection, but I saw this AMAZING lock...
The Roots of International Women’s Day
It has been quite a few years since I faced discrimination because of my gender - if any of you have a problem with learning about codes from a woman, you've kept it quiet (good idea)...
Oldest Panic Hardware Ever?
Deb Henson of DH Consulting sent me these photos of some REALLY old panic hardware. These doors were spotted at a home show, and were originally installed on a YMCA in Laurel, Mississippi, built in 1904. Do they look familiar to anyone?
Interesting Antique Lock
Bill Elliott sent me these photos this morning. There's something interesting about this lock that he and I have not seen before. Can you figure it out?
Cleveland Hill School’s Fire Legacy
Take a close look around the next time you’re in a school building. Notice the fire alarms, extinguishers, rescue windows and frequent drills? They can all be traced back to that fateful day, experts say. “All of that put together has made our school buildings so safe when it comes to fires,” said David G. Hess, Cleveland Hill’s director of facilities. “That fire has really made a difference.”
TBT: Wide Throw Hinge
These photos were sent in by Eyal Bedrik of Entry Systems Ltd., after his recent trip to the US from Israel. The photos were taken at the George Eastman House in Rochester, New York. The home was built between 1902 and 1905, and is 35,000 square feet with 50 rooms!
Bob Harder, Key Contributor to our Success
A few months ago I got the bittersweet news that one of my favorite people in our industry, Bob Harder, was retiring. I'm not afraid to say...I got a little misty.
Saint Patrick’s Cathedral, New York City
I hope you had a wonderful Saint Patrick's Day, complete with the green beverage of your choice!
The Station Movie
Last month I wrote about the first episode of The Station Movie, a video series posted online in segments about the Station Nightclub fire that occurred 10 years ago and took the lives of 100 people and injured more than 200 others. The pain of the survivors is a reminder of why we need to continue to be vigilant about code requirements, including those pertaining to egress and fire protection. Here are the next 3 episodes:
Everywhere I Go – Church Edition
My husband has grown accustomed to me yelling, "Stop the car!" when I see a door of interest. We actually had to circle the block and come back to this one in Nashville, Tennessee. Judging from the entrance, I thought there might be some nice doors...I couldn't process what I was seeing in time to get him to pull over. This is not code-compliant, people! The elevator door was purty though.
Remembering the Station Nightclub Fire
I can't believe it has been 10 years since the morning I woke up, turned on the TV, and saw the aftermath of the deadly fire that killed 100 people and injured 200 others at the Station Nightclub in West Warwick, Rhode Island. The recent news story below shocks me but it also underscores the fact that although we react when tragedy strikes, we often let our guard down as time goes on. We have to remain vigilant or history will repeat itself again and again.
For the Love of Doors
Happy Valentine's Day everyone!
WW: What’s this?
On the right of the photo is the jamb, on the left is the face of the door.
Boston’s Old City Hall
This week I've been spending some time with Karina Guadencio, an Ingersoll Rand Security Technologies specwriter from Brazil. In addition to lots of discussion in the office, we've been to a Boston Chapter CSI meeting, had lunch with the master specwriting team at Kalin Associates, conducted a punch list at Harvard Law School, and visited Columbus Door (thanks everyone!). It's been a whirlwind tour! Add the cold and last night's snow, and I think she's ready to head south (especially since she's having dinner with my family tonight! :D).
Garment Factory Fire – Karachi, Pakistan
Since this blog began, it has had visitors from 165 countries. I've been contacted by readers from outside of the United States, and have heard first-hand of door and hardware professionals in other countries using the site as a resource. That amazes me.
Worcester State Hospital
In addition to beautiful doors and interesting locks, I love old architecture and the amazing photography that captures the decay of these crumbling structures. I look forward to new photo essays posted on the Kingston Lounge site, and the most recent was especially exciting because it's very close to my town and an important part of Worcester, Massachusetts history.
WW: Waldo Hotel, Clarksburg WV
Head over to the Kingston Lounge to read more about this historic structure and see the beautiful photos of its current sad state of decay. They don't build them like this any more.
Church of the Holy Sepulchre, Jerusalem
A story arrived in my inbox today, regarding the tradition of the Holy Fire at the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. The day before Easter each year, clerics emerge from the small room believed to be the site of Jesus' tomb with a flame which is then spread among the pilgrims crowding the church and out to those gathered on the street.
WW: Fort Independence, Castle Island
This pair of doors is the entrance to Fort Independence on Castle Island in Boston, a five-bastioned fort built between 1834 and 1851. These doors look old enough to be original...with a little repair work at some point.
How I Discovered Door Checks (Part 3), by L.C. Norton
I previously posted Part 1 and Part 2 of this article, and here is the third and final segment.
How I Discovered Door Checks (Part 2), by L.C. Norton
I posted Part 1 of this article a while back, and apparently there have been people waiting patiently for the second installment. As requested, here is Part 2. Part 3 to follow.
The Great Boston Fire of 1872
It's almost impossible to imagine a fire of this magnitude, which began on November 9th, 1872. More than 770 buildings burned in less than 20 hours, most of them commercial buildings that were previously thought to be fire-proof. Several problems contributed to fighting the fire - the flu that had stricken most of the horses used to pull the fire engines, the attempts to reduce the fire load by exploding kegs of gunpowder inside of buildings, an inadequate water supply, and the crowds of spectators and looters filling the streets.
How I Discovered Door Checks (Part 1), by L.C. Norton
I was recently cleaning out a drawer and found copies of a 3-part article printed in Doors & Hardware in 1986. The articles were written in 1937. I thought I should preserve this piece of our history, so here is the first installment (others to follow).
Iroquois Theater Fire
Today is the 107th anniversary of a tragedy at the Iroquois Theater in Chicago, which shaped the early codes and led to the invention of the panic device. More than 600 people lost their lives in this fire, making it the deadliest theater fire and the deadliest single-building fire in United States history.
Triangle Factory Fire – 99 Years Ago Today
The fire at the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory in New York City on March 25th, 1911, claimed 146 lives - mostly young immigrant women. Building owners locked the exit doors to keep the workers in and the union organizers out, so when a fire broke out on the 8th floor it was impossible for some of the 600+ workers on the 8th, 9th, and 10th floors to escape. The fire escape was not sufficient to hold the number of fleeing occupants, and collapsed. Firefighters' ladders were several stories too short, and water from the fire hoses could not reach the upper floors of the building. Sixty workers jumped to their deaths.
History Repeats Itself, Again
Once again, failure to follow fire safety and egress code requirements in a nightclub has resulted in a fire with multiple fatalities. The death toll from the December 4th fire at the Lame Horse in Perm, Russia currently stands at 112 with more than 100 people severely injured.
How It All Began
This article was written by Carl Prinzler, one of the creators of the original exit device, at the end of the 1930's. I think it's an interesting insight into the development of the first exit device and the code requirements at that time.