Videos

Options for Securing Classroom Doors (video)

Here's the latest in our series of whiteboard animation videos explaining door-related topics. This one covers various options for securing classroom doors, in alignment with the guidelines from the National Association of State Fire Marshals. Enjoy and share!

Door Handing (video)

I have explained door handing hundreds of times during my career. I know some people still use the "butt-to-the-butts" method, but that doesn't work for all door openings because it doesn't take into account whether the door is inswinging or outswinging. I explained handing on this site a while back, but just to make it more fun...

By |2017-06-01T10:10:43-04:00April 6th, 2015|Back-2-Basics, Videos|7 Comments

WW: School Security in the News

The Leelanau County Sheriff's Department received $128,750 from a Michigan State Police school safety grant, and Sheriff Mike Borkovich said every penny will go toward installing a tool designed to make doors impenetrable. "I think it's very much just like a caveman picking up a gigantic rock and putting it on the front of its cave," Borkovich said. "You are not going to be able to go through that door. It buys us time."

By |2017-03-28T09:52:13-04:00March 25th, 2015|News, School Security, Videos, Wordless Wednesday|16 Comments

Infant Abduction

There was an important change to the 2015 International Building Code (IBC) that could help to reduce the occurrence of child abduction from hospitals. Many maternity wards have infant abduction systems that use a sensor to activate a delayed egress lock when a baby is taken near the exit. But for some facilities, delayed egress locks may not be enough...

By |2015-09-23T09:46:30-04:00March 16th, 2015|Electrified Hardware, Health Care, Videos|1 Comment

Lock Functions (video)

Last week I posted a couple of videos explaining some basic code requirements and terminology for panic hardware. The next videos in the series address a topic that I KNOW many architects and others struggle with (because I've personally explained it at least a thousand times) - lock functions...

By |2017-06-01T10:08:21-04:00March 12th, 2015|Back-2-Basics, Locks & Keys, Videos|5 Comments

Cease Fire Door Hinge

As most of you know, I love to see creativity and innovation within the door and hardware industry, especially if it helps to increase fire prevention and life safety. I received a video this morning, introducing a product that has been developed by two retired FDNY firefighters. It is a spring hinge with a fusible link, so in normal operation it acts as a typical hinge but when exposed to heat it closes the door...

By |2014-10-28T11:52:08-04:00October 28th, 2014|Hinges & Pivots, Videos|39 Comments

MGM Stampede

It appears this massive mishap could have been a lot worse than it turned out to be, but it is nevertheless a scary incident that left many people hurt and hundreds in harm's way. That may prompt the MGM Grand to reevaluate its current design and make some tweaks to avoid similar incidents in the future...

By |2016-01-27T13:18:54-05:00May 5th, 2014|Means of Egress, News, Videos|0 Comments

PSA – 9-volt Batteries

This is not door-related, but consider it a public service announcement that shows how much I care about you.  I don't know how common this is, but I did confirm that a 9-volt battery can be used to start a fire and improper storage has led to several residential fires.  If we proactively replace our smoke detector batteries and store the partially-used batteries until they are recycled, we need to take precautions to avoid the situation in the video below.

By |2014-02-03T14:10:31-05:00February 3rd, 2014|General Info, Videos|2 Comments

Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art – Bentonville, Arkansas

Almost exactly 7 years ago I began working on one of my most beautiful and challenging projects - the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art.  I remember the start date because I had just returned from leave after having my youngest daughter.  The architect contacted me many months prior and asked me to act as the hardware consultant on the project, and to be honest, I didn't want to do it.  I already had several "high-maintenance" projects on my desk, and with most of those fancy, prestigious projects, you also get frustrations and headaches.  You get architects with door-related ideas that have never been attempted...gigantic doors, openings that are invisible (codes be damned), doors made out of unusual materials, sliders that slide with the touch of a finger and no sound, and security applications that require variances from the local AHJ.  It was during one of those projects that I first stated, "Sorry, I left my magic wand in the car."  On another I earned the nickname "the anti-fairy godmother" because I told an architect that the doors in his interior elevation would not look the way he had drawn them because of code-drive hardware requirements.

By |2024-02-13T12:31:23-05:00January 28th, 2014|Beautiful Doors, General Info, Videos|4 Comments

CBS Chicago: Would-Be Burglar Thwarted After Pulling Door Marked ‘Push’

The fact that this door swings in instead of out seems to confuse the burglar enough that he can't figure out how to get in. However, I would NOT recommend inswinging doors as a security measure! Considering that people generally try to exit the way they came in, I think this opening could be an egress problem unless it is serving a very small bar.  What do you think?

By |2015-12-23T08:58:32-05:00January 19th, 2014|Means of Egress, News, Videos|1 Comment

Effects of Earthquake Damage on Fire Safety

While this test report was not heavy on door-related data, I thought some of you would enjoy reading about this groundbreaking study which looked at how a test building was affected by several simulated earthquakes, and then how the damaged building's fire safety systems performed in a series of fire tests.  I found the video below fascinating:

By |2013-05-01T19:48:57-04:00March 12th, 2013|Fire Doors, Health Care, Videos|2 Comments

Happy Holidays

For the last 8 years, I have coordinated a holiday gift drive along with my coworkers, family, and friends for the residents of our local family shelter and other families in need.  This year we provided gifts for 75 kids and parents!  When I went to the shelter with a load to drop off, I saw the sign below.  I asked the director if they had a close call and she said, with a very grave look in her eyes, "more than one."

By |2013-12-04T23:49:42-05:00December 14th, 2012|Door Closers, Videos|5 Comments

Let’s look at the world a little differently…

I love this video.  And if you were getting ready to say it's "off topic," the first word in the first frame is Security, and I saw several doors while watching it.  :D  AND...I'm pretty sure I spotted some footage from Morocco, which coincidentally is where I'm headed on this year's summer road trip with my family.  Yes, Morocco, and no, I haven't finally lost the rest of my mind.  I've mentioned before that my husband is originally from Morocco, and that my mother-in-law passed away last year.  We'll be spending some time there this summer to get her estate squared away, and of course, look for some interesting doors.  Maybe I'll even see if I can hunt down a Moroccan locksmith or hardware supplier.  That would be pretty cool, right?

By |2014-01-29T13:44:59-05:00June 15th, 2012|Videos|4 Comments

The Ultimate Test – Take II

Remember the old video of the various types of exit devices being run over by a fire truck?  It's a classic, and I still get the urge to watch it every so often..."I am examining the [flattened] device.  It is not working."  You could make the case that a panic device doesn't need to withstand the weight of a fire truck, but I've seen some herds of kids run out of school at the end of the day that are almost as tough.

By |2012-03-12T15:11:29-04:00March 12th, 2012|Panic Hardware, Videos|5 Comments

Hartford Hospital Fire (Video)

December 8th, 2011, was the 50-year anniversary of a fire at Hartford Hospital which caused the death of 16 patients, staff, and visitors, and resulted in many important changes to code requirements for hospital construction.  Connecticut Public Television has just released a video about the tragedy and the resulting code changes.  Other than the statement "all patient room doors must have positively latching hinges," it's a great piece.

By |2012-01-31T21:57:16-05:00February 1st, 2012|Fire Doors, Videos|3 Comments

Today’s the big day!

A couple of weeks ago I told you about the significance of August 1st - it's my birthday (big deal), and also the day that the features of the LCN 4040XP are incorporated into the standard 4040 closer (BIG DEAL!).  Every 4040 closer ordered from today forward will be shipped as a 4040XP - with the larger and stronger pinion, bigger bearings, and stronger teeth geometry.  If you have questions about the changes, check out this FAQ document.

By |2015-11-11T10:33:12-05:00August 1st, 2011|Door Closers, Videos|18 Comments

The Ultimate Test

I got a Tweet today from @GinnyPowell, who was attending a Von Duprin training.  She was surprised that the fire truck video is still around, and once she mentioned it I just had to go back and watch it again.  It's a classic!  I love the fire test engineer..."I am now checking the device..."  I wonder who came up with this idea.

By |2021-11-23T16:32:45-05:00July 12th, 2011|Panic Hardware, Videos|5 Comments

Hotel Vendome Fire, Boston

Today is the 39th anniversary of the fire at the Hotel Vendome, in which 9 firefighters lost their lives when the building unexpectedly collapsed during mop-up operations.  Stephanie Schorow, author of 4 books about Boston, spoke about the Hotel Vendome fire, the Cocoanut Grove fire, and the Great Boston Fire of 1872 in this video made in conjunction with the NFPA.  There was also an article in the May/June 2011 issue of the NFPA Journal - "The Boston Fire Trail - A walkable guide to the city's fire and disaster history." 

By |2016-05-18T09:18:56-04:00June 17th, 2011|Fire Doors, Means of Egress, Videos|2 Comments

RU@ISC?

I got this text message this morning, and alas, I'm not at the ISC West show in Las Vegas.  If you're not at the show either, you can still visit the Ingersoll Rand Security Technologies booth there.

By |2013-02-09T01:20:58-05:00April 7th, 2011|Videos|0 Comments

Panic Fail

I tend to notice hardware on TV and movies (just ask my family!), but this video is probably the best (worst) example I've seen of doors gone bad for the sake of TV production.  It was sent in by Eyal Bedrik of Entry Systems Ltd. in Israel.  The commercial is in Hebrew but the panic fail transcends the language barrier.  Watch closely and stick with it for the whole 66 seconds.

By |2012-01-27T21:58:45-05:00March 9th, 2011|Panic Hardware, Videos|8 Comments

The Rest of the Story…

The other day I posted some photos of a fire door that had done its job and prevented a fire from spreading.  Several of you emailed me about the photos, because they're SUCH a great illustration of what a fire door is for.  It's easy to imagine what would have happened if it was propped open.  Well, this morning I received even more photos of the same building (the Robert Moses Nature Center), from Bill Johnson of the Door Security and Safety Foundation, and this afternoon I received a link to a news article from Jerry Heppes of the Door & Hardware Institute.  Thanks guys!!

By |2017-01-04T21:43:31-05:00January 26th, 2011|FDAI, Fire Doors, Videos|2 Comments

Faulty Fire Doors in the News

I've been doing some research for my FDAI presentation, looking for specific examples of how the inspection of fire doors and correction of deficiencies can have a direct impact on life safety as well as the protection of property.  It's not very often that you see fire doors in the news, but these two recent examples showed up over the holidays:

By |2014-04-26T19:36:13-04:00January 6th, 2011|FDAI, Fire Doors, Videos|5 Comments

Trick or Tweet

Ellen DeGeneres cracks me up - even though she never talks about doors and I never have time to watch her show any more.  Recently, Ellen and I became Facebook friends, so I get random status updates from her show which often include videos.  I happened upon a video of when she sent one of her writers through a haunted house, and about 25 seconds into the video, I noticed a set of emergency exit doors (which have LCN 4110s and Von Duprin 99s if I'm not mistaken).  Yes, I do realize that I'm a weirdo, but you should know that by now.    

By |2017-09-23T09:52:15-04:00October 31st, 2010|Means of Egress, Videos|0 Comments

Von Duprin QEL Device

I visited a jobsite today and saw some QEL devices in action.  If you're not familiar with the QEL device, it is a *quiet* version of the electric latch retraction exit device.  When the access control system (card reader, key fob, etc.) signals the door to unlock, the latch(es) retract to allow someone to pull the door open.  You can always exit by pushing the touchpad.  I have used the QEL device on several high-profile spaces where noise is an issue.  I recently specified them for auditoriums at the United States Institute of Peace and the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, where the latches are held retracted while the auditorium is unlocked.  As you can see in the video below, the touchpads are also held in while the latches are retracted so there will be no sound associated with exiting while the doors are unlocked.

By |2013-09-01T09:13:24-04:00August 10th, 2010|Electrified Hardware, Panic Hardware, Videos|0 Comments
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