Page 60 - Security Today, November/December 2022

CoverStory can feel pressure from students, parents, and the community to just “do something.” The push for immediate action is understandable; keeping students safe and secure is among the primary missions of a school. But reacting with haste should not override common sense. What’s required is a comprehensive security plan produced by a cross-functional team of stakeholders based on a thoughtful, carefully established risk assessment that takes into account the threats and vulnerabilities specific to a school and/or district. The Partner Alliance for Safer Schools (PASS) offers excellent advice and resources on this critical process. Door security solutions consultants, partners and training professionals can also provide invaluable insights and assistance. Beware of Quick Fixes Adding to the complexity in recent years is a market that has become inundated with secondary locking devices that can potentially make things far more dangerous for students, or that don’t provide much in the way of effective security. These devices come in the form of various wedges, bars, or additional latches designed to essentially jam a door in place to keep attackers out. But in doing so, they potentially violate fire and safety codes. Such barricades can also enable dangerous hostage situations and prevent school staff and first responders from opening a door. Fire marshals generally will not sign off on these types of devices. And if they won’t take on that liability, then neither should a school district. Another troubling fact is that a 2020 study from the National Center on Education Statistics showed that “1 in 4 U.S. public schools still lack classroom doors that can be locked from the inside.” This reflects a bygone era when schools were primarily concerned about burglaries and vandalism and installed doors that could only be locked from the outside. After Columbine, schools started switching to locks that could be latched by key from either side of the door. Often referred to as “Columbine” locks, they allow teachers to verify from inside whether a door is securely locked instead of having to risk going into the hallway to test it. While no one can enter from outside when the door is locked, those inside can still use the door lever to exit the room at any time—a fire code requirement. Visual indicators that display “locked” or “unlocked” are also options that can be incorporated. But as the statistics show, many schools in the country have yet to catch up. While lock conversions can cost several hundred dollars each, they nevertheless provide a basic and very practical line of defense that’s easy to retrofit and well worth implementing as part of a holistic door security and access control plan. Hardened Specialty Doors It is a security professional’s job to identify specific school needs and recommend the best solutions to address problems or concerns. A school’s location and vulnerability may make it a good candidate for attack-resistant doors—complete assemblies including the door, frame and door hardware—that comply with the 5-aa10 test standards recommended by the FBI’s Active Shooter Report. Attack Resistant Openings are made of hollow metal construction and extremely resistant glass inserts and are tested rigorously to ensure that they can withstand an intense four-minute physical attack with the use of hand tools after being shot 60 times with 7.62mm NATO rounds. This extra time helps to keep occupants safe until first responders can neutralize the threat. They’re also designed using lightweight materials so small children can still easily operate them during a normal school day. Locks and Lockdowns Another common concern we see during consultation with schools is how to properly conduct lockdown procedures. The issue here is that the narrative on best practices has changed over the past few years. Exterior and interior door locks that are always in the locked position and require a key or digital credential to open are often a school’s strategy of choice, despite the potential inconvenience. Today’s best practice is to secure perimeter doors from a central location while allowing interior doors to be locked by staff and faculty using their own situational awareness. This requires providing the correct training for staff, along with implementing the correct technologies. For an urban school, where it’s easier to consolidate ingress and egress to just a few doors, it may be possible to rely on school resource officers or security guards to control access at the perimeter. An urban environment with few entrances can utilize the right blend of staff, video surveillance, and metal detectors to quickly provide the right response during a lockdown. On the other hand, facilities with multiple entrances and exits need an electronic access control system that can be locked down remotely. Wireless solutions, like Aperio®, are a good example now being used to provide the flexibility of remote or local lockdown without the cost and complexity of hardwired locks. In both scenarios, these access control solutions tie into sophisticated video surveillance and communications systems that can call in first responders. While suburban and rural schools can also benefit from a technology that offers remote lockdown, they present additional challenges 16 campuslifesecurity.com | NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2022