Classroom Locks Reviewed
Access control hardware cannot defeat a gunman, but it can slow them down and buy precious minutes for responders to arrive. Locking classroom doors is one way to do this, but traditional hardware presents life safety issues. In the past decade, a newer style of lock - the 'Classroom/Intruder' Lock - has emerged as a key tool to slow down an attacker yet stay code compliant. In this note, we examine this hardware and an example of where it saved lives.
Traditional *****
***** **** ********* ***** ** *** US *** **** ** ****, **** is ********* ************ ** *** *** of *** *** ** **** *** classroom ** *******. *** ******* ** room ******* ******* *** **** **** outside *** ********* (** *** ****) before *******. ** ** ********* *********, the ******* ***** ** ********** **** the ********* ** ***** ** **** the **** - ******** *** ******* and ******** ***** ** * *********** deadly *********.
******** ******** ***** *** *** **** to ******* **** *************: ******* ** the ********* ****** ** * *********, the '***********' *********** ******** ******* ** residential ***** ** *** ********* ** code. ** ** ********* ****** *********, the ********* **** ** ***** **** to ******* *** ******** ****** *** door *** ** ******, *********** **** the '********* ******' ****** ***** **** require **** * ****** ****** ** open * **** (**: ******* * lever ******).
******* ** *** *********** ** *********** locks ** ** ********* *********, ***** with ** ******** *** ********** ******** were ******* - *** '********* ********' lock:
Classroom ****
**** **** ******** ********** ************ ** permitting *** **** ** ** ****** from *** ******. **** ** **** by ****** *** ********* ** **** sides ****** *********** ***** **** **** have ** *** *******. ************, * person ******* ** ****, **** **** locked, ****** ***** *** ***** ****** and *** ********* ***** *** **** if ******.
Operational ******
**** **** ******** ** ***** ******** for "********/******" ********. *******, *** ******** difference ** **** * "*********" ********************** * *** ** ** ******, compared ** "********/****** *****" ***** *** simply ** ****** **** *** ****** by ******** * ****** ** ******* a ***** ****.
********* * *** ******* **** **** authorized ***** (*.*., ******** ** ****** staff) *** **** *** ****. ** schools ******* ** *** ***** ***** of ******-******* ********, ******** *** **** to *********** (** ************) **** ********** out ** ******* * **** ******. Lock-outs ***** ** **** ****** *** problematic.
*********, *** **** ** **** ****** when * ******* ******* * ******* - ********, *******, ***. **** *** be * ************* ***** *** ******* must **** * *** *** ****** presence ** **** ** ****** *** lock. ****, *** ***** ********* ** be ******** *** *** **** ****** time ** **** *** ****. *************, they *** **** *** **** ****** at *** ***** ****** *****. *******, this ******* *********** ******** **** ******* people ** *** *** ****, *** returning **** *** ********, ***. ** such, **** ** ******, ** ****, done.
**********
*********, *** ********** ********** ********** *** added ******* ******** ** *** "*********" feature ******* ** * **** ********** of $** - $*** *** ****.
**** *** ******* ** *** **** Schlage ** ****** ******** *****:
- *** **** ** ~$****** "********" ******** ****, *****
- *** **** ** ~$****** "*********" ******* ** **** *******
*** **** ********/****** ******* *** ********* for **** *********, *** *** **** warranty *******, ******, *** ******** *** available *** ****** ****.
*** **** **** ******** ** **** almost *** ******* **** ******** ******* locks, ********* *** ****** ** ******* equipment ** ******* *****. ********, **-******* those ******* ***** ** ********* ** unlikely ** ******* *********** *****.
*******, ***** *** **** ** ************ electronic ****** ******* ***** ********* ***** upwards ** $**** *** ****, ******** "Classroom" ******** ******** ** *** ** the ***** ****** ***** ** ********** protecting ****** ***** ******* ********* *******.
Are **** *********?
**** ********* ******* ***** *** **** significant ******* ****** *******, *** ***** committed ** ******** ************ ***** ** prove *** *****.
** ****, *** *** ***** ****** district ***** ** ***** $***,*** ** [link ** ****** *********] ****** *** classroom ***** ** *** ******** **** the **** *** "********* ********" ****. The **** ** *** ********, ***** involved *** *****, **** **** **** $450 *** ****, ********* ************ ****.
** ****, * ****** ** **** same ******** *** ***** ******** ****** when * ******* ********** ****-***** *** armed **** ****** ******* *** **** School **** *** ******* *** ** kill *** **** ** ******. ******* teachers ****** ***** ***** ****** **** event, ********** *** ****** ****** **** entering ********** *** ********** ***** ***** students **** ******* ********. **** ** article ********* *** ***** [**** ** longer *********]:
"******* **** ******* *** ***** ***** High ****** ******** ************** ***** ********'* decision ** ******* ***** ** ********* doors *** ********** [********] **** ******* to *** ** *** ********.
"** ***** ** ****** ****** *** have ** **** **** ***** ********* but ** **** **** ** *** really *********," ******* *****. "******** *** lock *** ***** *** ****** **** the ******. ****'* ********* ** ***** on. **** * *** ** *** hallway *********, ****** ****, *** *** the ***** ** *** ******* **** the **********, * *** *** ******** reach ***, ***** *** **** **** the ******* *** **** ** **** and ****** **. ** *** ***** worked. *** ******** ****** *** ********** worked ***."
** **** *********, *** ********** ** hardware (*** ******** ********** ***********) *** directly ******** ** ********** * *******.
**********
*** ********* **** ** *** ** the ***** ********* *** ******** ************ schools *** ****. ****** ******** ******** of ********* *** *** **** ****** or ***** *******, ********* ***** *** a *** ***** **** *** **** likely ***** ** ***** *** ****** those ********* *******.