Page 9 - Campus Security Today, November/December 2024

the building, the school consulted Clopay Corp. to help.
N E W G R I L L E S C O R E S H I G H M A R K S
After listening to St. Jude’s needs, Clopay offered to donate one
of its Cornell branded CrossingGard Grilles to provide the crowd
control and asset protection that the school required.
Clopay then enlisted the help of A&B Door Sales & Service,
Inc., a local family-owned and operated business also located
in Mountain Top. In business since 1977, A&B Door specializes in
installing and servicing overhead doors, including the CrossingGard
Grille, and the company offered to donate the labor and ensure
the door was properly installed.
To install the CrossingGard Grille, the A&B Door team started
by opening a one-panel-wide section of the drop ceiling above
the corridor where the grille was to be installed. An electrician
installed the power supply, and A&B Door then measured, fit, and
hoisted the counter-balance shaft and motor into position inside
the ceiling opening. Once the shaft and motor were secured, the
team finished up with the guides and curtain and had all work
completed in less than a day.
Now, the CrossingGard Grille provides a strong, sturdy floor-
to-ceiling corridor blockade during extracurricular activities, giving
the school a more flexible and secure use of its space. With an
open-pattern curtain of aluminum rods and vertical chain links,
the grille also delivers optimal visibility. In the event a student or
staff member is inadvertently locked behind the closed grille, other
staff can easily see them and open the grille.
“We’re thrilled to have the CrossingGard Grille at our school,”
said Sister Ellen Fischer, member of the Sisters of Christian Charity
congregation and principal of St. Jude School. “This innovative
addition will enhance our ability to manage foot traffic during
after-school events and bolster our daily security efforts for the
safety of our students, faculty, and staff.”
“”
BAYLEY EXPLAINED THAT THE SCHOOL
HAS SECURITY CAMERAS AND GLASS-
BREAKING ALARMS, BUT WHAT IT
REALLY NEEDED WAS A WAY TO CONTAIN
VISITORS AND CONTROL ACCESS TO
CERTAIN AREAS OF THE SCHOOL.
C O V E R S T O R Y
Head of St. Jude School maintenance Joe Bayley added that
the installation and location of the grille are perfect.
“The new grille fit right into the spot where we needed it—
right where we used to put the table,” said Bayley. “Installation went
smoothly, and the grille is so well hidden in the ceiling you don’t
even realize that it’s there when it’s up. It rolls down seamlessly
and has key access on both sides. It’s so easy. You just put the key
in with no instructions or training needed.”
Bayley explained that the school has security cameras and
glass-breaking alarms, but what it really needed was a way to contain
visitors and control access to certain areas of the school. Now, he
says, no one has to constantly check the cameras to make sure
people are staying in the proper area or perform the cumbersome
task of setting up the table and taking it down.
“We sometimes come back at night to catch up on maintenance
tasks, and there are often people in the building. I used to have to
check the calendar each month to try to keep track of which activities
were going on and where they were in the building so I could account
for who might come into our work area,” said Bayley. “Now, I can just
close and lock the grille, and I don’t have to worry about it.”
“A big thing, too, is liability,” added Sister Fischer, who explained
that the new grille prevents students from going into areas of the
school unsupervised. Sister Fischer said she is also pleased with the
CrossingGard’s look and its quiet operation. “You can barely hear the
gate, and it looks nice, too, with the clean tiles, walls, and molding.
A lot of people don’t even notice that it’s there when it’s open.”
E X T R A C R E D I T I N E M E R G E N C I E S
While the secure barrier provided by the grille was St. Jude School’s
primary requirement, the CrossingGard Grille offers other enhanced
features specifically for emergencies. These include:
Fail-safe Operation: If the CrossingGard Grille is notified by
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