Page 88 - Security Today, September/October 2023

ACTIVE ATTACKER BALLISTICALLY PROTECTING YOUR SCHOOL AUTHORS JIM RICHARDS, MBA (TOP LEFT), IS THE CO-FOUNDER AND CEO TOTAL SECURITY SOLUTIONS. RON EGRES, PH.D. (BOTTOM LEFT), IS A FOUNDING PARTNER OF BBP AND THE FORMER SENIOR PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR AT DUPONT I f you’re a school administrator identifying ballistic barrier products to install in your school, you likely need a source of clear, practical recommendations. That’s why two indus- try-leading ballistic protection companies—Total Security Solutions and Ballistic Barrier Products—came together to review best practices you need to make an informed decision. I. School Violence Trends: In 2022, there were 51 school shoot- ings that resulted in at least one injury or death; of the last five years of data, 2022 was the worst, according to EducationWeek. According to the Journal of Adolescent Health, most mass school shootings involve a handgun (81%). Shooters commonly use more than one firearm. A school shooting is more likely to be deadly if the shooter uses a high-capacity rifle or shotgun and is able to enter the school. II. Using Ballistic Barriers in School Settings: Think Systematically: Evaluating your building and prioritizing security at key points is the most practical way to make the most of your ballistic barriers, minimize damage, and save lives. Using a systems approach, the priority is to keep shooters from entering the school, especially if they have high-power, high-capacity firearms. If a shooter does enter, the school’s ballistic barrier sys- tem should close off sections of the school, preventing them from reaching classrooms. If a shooter manages to penetrate these doors, classroom-level security should prevent the shooter from entering. III. Available Products to Help Layer Your Security BULLETPROOF GLASS, DOORS, AND FIBERGLASS PANELS Bulletproof Glass: Bulletproof windows are made from acrylic, polycarbonate, glass, and combinations of these ma- terials. Options include protection from a variety of handguns, rifles, and semi- automatic carbines. Bulletproof glass can be fabricated into windows, walls of glass, doors, transaction windows, and other custom configurations. Once installed, bulletproof glass looks nearly identical to standard glass. However, it is thicker and heavier than standard glass, so some projects may need special framing. Bulletproof Doors: Bulletproof doors are made from wood, steel, stain- less steel, veneer, wood, and other ma- terials. They can protect from handgun and rifle shots, depending on the style. Door styles include customized designs that are identical to exist- ing doors. They can be made compatible with auto-lock systems. Ballistic Fiberglass: Bulletproof fiberglass panels add a layer of ballistic protection to any interior surface. Panels can be covered with drywall, veneer, laminate, and other materials. BULLET-RESISTANT WINDOW SHADES, DOOR SHIELDS, AND HALLWAY BARRIERS Bullet-resistant window treatments are identical standard black- out shades, but with a Kevlar® core. They can stop shots from most commercially-available handguns. Door shields are applied to existing doors; unlike window shades that raise and lower, door shields are fixed, covering the door’s surface. Door shields are secured to the top and bottom of the door. Hallway barriers can be mounted to the wall or ceiling. They can roll down like a shade or be mounted to a gate on the wall. Despite being heavier than the average window treatment, no special framing is required to mount bullet-resistant shades. There are no special installation requirements, so your school’s maintenance department can likely handle installation in 30 minutes to an hour. SECURITY WINDOW FILM Security window film is a very thin layer of polyester that is applied to window glass in order to hold glass pieces together upon impact. This typically slows an intruder down, but does not stop bullets. Film is an acceptable solution in combination with bullet-resistant products or in locations where there is a low risk of someone be- ing struck by a bullet. IV. Product Applications by Location Within School: We rec- ommend adding the highest level of protection to areas where an intruder must go and lower levels of protection to areas where they may go. For instance, locking exterior doors funnels an intruder to the main entrance. The best practice in this area is to use two sets of bulletproof doors to create a secure vestibule to trap the intruder. From there, automatically locking bulletproof interior doors would prevent an intruder from getting further into a school. With classrooms behind two layers of robust security, Kevlar door shields and security film can be used to secure classroom doors. For win- dows, bulletproof glass is ideal for locations that must maintain visibility, and Kevlar barriers are desirable to prevent line of sight. V. Product Testing and Compliance: Third-party testing is the only way to ensure barrier products’ performance. The Underwriters Laboratories (UL) 752 standard and NIJ standard are two common guidelines for ballistic products. BBP products are certified to the UL 752 standard; TSS products are independently tested to this standard. 28