Fire Risk in Schools
Between 2013 and 2017, an average of 4,859 structure fires occurred in educational facilities each year, and only 39% of the schools where fires occurred had sprinkler systems. Read more...
Classroom Lock Functions
This new infographic aims to help clear some of the confusion about the various lock functions used on classroom doors. Feel free to share it!
Washington Post: School shootings are extraordinarily rare.
The statistical likelihood of a public school student being killed in a school shooting on any given day since 1999 was 1 in 614,000,000. Read more in the Washington Post...
Classroom Door Magnets
I don't think there is a one-size-fits-all answer for classroom security, but as we consider each new problem, it's important to remember the progression of the security methods used over past decades.
Assembly Bill AB 44
Much of the testimony given at a recent hearing clearly outlines the reasons that barricade devices are not the optimal method of securing classroom doors.
Lock Function Conversion Kits
If an existing lockset on a classroom door requires a teacher to open the door when locking it (potentially exposing the teacher to danger), there is a way to change the lock function at a reasonable price.
NFPA 101 – TIA 1436
This is an important post about a change that has been made to NFPA 101-2018, regarding the allowable number of operations to unlatch a classroom door.
Back to School – Part 2
This presentation - WN@TL - School Safety in America: Rhetoric vs Reality - David Perrodin - is well worth a listen. It supports the concerns about classroom barricade devices and school security decision-making.
Back to School
Why are the security measures in these two school districts so different? In your opinion, what are the most important physical security measures for schools to implement?
Vision Panel Alert
Here's a heads-up going out to all of the detailers, architects, and door manufacturers out there...double-check the vision light locations for classroom doors.
Two Schools of Thought
Wilson County Schools: “We don’t use barricaded door hardware,” Wilson County Director of Safety Steve Spencer said. “The reason is...
Top 10 – WW: School Security and Safety
This is one of the most egregious examples of a non-code-compliant egress modification that I've ever seen, and yes, it was in a school.
WW: Temporary Locking Devices
Do you see what I see? THIS is why temporary locking devices should not be approved for doors serving a means of egress. They often become permanent locking devices!
Classroom Lockdown Modification
Will this screen door latch keep out a school shooter? Or maybe two would be sufficient? Hopefully we'll never have to find out.
BGSU: Active-Shooter Response
This video from Bowling Green State University gives some good background on the ALICE program and on the university's emergency response protocols. Check it out and let me know what you think.
WW: House Bill H3871
This is not a typical Wordless Wednesday post. In fact, there are a lot of words, but this is an important topic. If this can happen in Massachusetts, it can happen anywhere.
PBS New Hour: Securing the Classroom
If a school is equipped with security cameras and access control on the main entrance, it's just one more step to allow law enforcement to remotely unlock the doors for emergency response.
PASS Guidelines Recognized by State, Federal School Safety Commissions
In recent months, the PASS guidelines have been recognized by several state and federal organizations aiming to improve school safety and security. Read more about it in today's post.
Wireless access control on university campuses
I graduated from college more than 30 years ago, and based on my experience with my soon-to-be college freshman, times have changed!
Sprinklers in Schools
In the almost-5,000 schools that experience structure fires each year, what percentage of the buildings are equipped with sprinkler systems?
Door Security + Safety – May Issue
The May issue of Door Security + Safety Magazine is available for members and non-members to read online! Will you become a Lock Don't Block Ambassador?
WW: Action News
When I mentioned that people must be getting tired of hearing me talk about school safety, the response was, "If people can die without our voices, we kind of need to keep talking…"
UNCC ‘One-Button’ Lockdown
When a shooting occurred at the University of North Carolina Charlotte last week, an electronic locking system was already in place that allowed the campus to be locked down in seconds.
FF: Sweet Spot
When classroom doors are kept locked all the time, it can be inconvenient for teachers and for students trying to enter the classroom when the door is closed. This is one school district's solution.
Kitsap Sun: Lawsuit alleges Bremerton teacher confined alone in classroom with violent student
It's only a matter of time before we see the unintended consequences of non-code-compliant, untested, unregulated security devices.
NFPA 3000 – Training Opportunity!
Is your facility or community prepared for an active shooter / hostile event? NFPA has a great training opportunity coming up in June - learn more about NFPA 3000.
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.
Barricade Devices – Three Perspectives
These 3 perspectives showed up in my Google Alerts today - a school district using barricade devices, a man working in a school who wanted to use barricading when he committed a shooting, and the legal perspective. Powerful.
WWYD? ‘Small Town at War Over Active-Shooter Barricades’
This is INSANITY! This is yet another example of seeking to remove the safety protocols of the adopted codes, in order to prioritize security at a perceived lower cost.
FF: Richland Two Institute of Innovation
If our industry is so complex that the students' research didn't turn up existing products or a hardware advisor, we need to get more user-friendly.
Decoded: Why Barricade Devices? (May 2019)
Why would a school district consider using unregulated security devices, given the associated risk and liability? The answer may surprise you.
Wicked Local: School’s Locks Violate Codes
A news report hit my inbox a few days ago, which discussed a security situation in a Massachusetts elementary school; some classroom barricade devices had been installed in 2014...
WW: Solve for Tomorrow Competition
I love the idea of putting our heads together to search for solutions, but inventors need to consider authorized access, free egress, and accessibility, in addition to security.
PASS Whitepaper on Classroom Security
If you are looking for one document that explains the concerns associated with classroom security methods, the recently-updated PASS white paper is a great tool!
Guy Grace on Classroom Barricade Devices
Guy Grace is the Director of Security & Emergency Planning for Littleton, Colorado - the school district where Columbine High School is located. Here is his stance on classroom barricade devices.
MSD Public Safety Commission Report
We must continue to learn from this research, to help avoid or reduce the effects of future active-shooter incidents. Please invest some time today, in memory of the MSDHS victims.
WW: Wordless
I have spent two days trying to figure out what to write in this post. I'm still thinking.
Michele Gay on Classroom Security
This video from Michele Gay of Safe and Sound Schools is a great tool for educating parents, teachers, and school administrators about school security and safety. Share it!
NFPA 3000 Webinar – Archived Recording
One part of this webinar that got my attention was the EMS perspective on how a delay in accessing the classroom could affect the medical outcome. The archived webinar is linked in this post.
WWYD? Classroom Exit Alarm
I really need your expertise on this one...talk to me about exit alarms to deter the use of classroom doors, or to at least notify the teacher that someone has opened the door.
DSSF – NFPA 3000 Webinar
Training alert! On January 16th the DSSF will host a webinar on NFPA 3000 - Standard for Active Shooter / Hostile Event Response (ASHER), presented by John Montes of NFPA.
WW: Classroom Egress
Andrew Harris of Willis Klein sent me today's Wordless Wednesday photo, and it's disheartening. This is the exterior door of a middle school classroom with one or more students who have special needs.
WW: Fire Hose Security, Revisited
As I've said before...as a last resort anything goes, but THIS SHOULD NOT BE PLAN A! Do you agree or disagree?
Final Report of the Federal Commission on School Safety
Some thoughts about the newly-released federal report, and some of the documents that are referenced in the report...have you read it yet?
Campus Safety Takes Stand Against Non-Code-Compliant Door Barricades
Campus Safety will no longer accept ads or sponsorships from companies whose door barricades don’t comply with ADA and NFPA codes.
PASS Guidelines – 4th Edition
The Partner Alliance for Safer Schools (PASS) has released the fourth edition of its Safety and Security Guidelines for K-12 Schools - visit PASSK12.org to download the guidelines!
Our Lady of the Angels – 60 Years
Saturday, December 1st, 2018 was the 60th anniversary of the fire at Our Lady of the Angels School in Chicago, where 92 students and 3 nuns were killed.
FF: Not Punny
I thought of so many titles for this post that would have been apropos but might have offended someone, so I'll let you come up with your own.
WWYD? School Security in the News
I'd love to hear your opinions on some of the recent media coverage that presents the school security industry negatively. Are they talking about US? If not, how do we make that clear?