In The News

Opening the Door to School Safety

Check out the latest news about the dangers of classroom door barricade devices. You can secure your classrooms without compromising life safety.

Statistics on Crime and Safety
Federal Bureau of Investigation
FBI Report: School-related active shooter incidents in 2016 and 2017. Read the report here.
Barricade vs. Door Locking Device ‐There is a Difference
Alice Training Institute
There is increased discussion relating to door locking devices and building codes. Learn more from Alice Training Institute about the difference between a barricading device and door locking device. Read more.
Codes Expert Reminds Us: “Life safety and security CAN coexist!”
iDigHardware.com
Codes expert and blog host of I Dig Hardware, Lori Greene, shares the May issue of Door Security + Safety magazine and reinforces the importance of this campaign and key resources available noting, “Life safety and security CAN coexist!”.
Important Issue of Door Security + Safety Available to All
Door Security + Safety
The DHI Board of Governors would like everyone to have access to this important issue of Door Security + Safety  to bring awareness to our industry’s expertise and code-compliant solutions for schools. The link to this issue is available to all. Please share this link with your colleagues, customers, and community.
Connecticut Department of Administrative Services Letter on Barricade Devices
Connecticut Department of Administrative Services, Office of the State Fire Marshal, sends a letter to local fire marshals about the code violations and ADA violations of barricade devices. Read letter here.
The Popular Mechanics Guide to Safer Schools
Popular Mechanics
How can we make these buildings a little more secure? And how can we do so without making schools feel like prisons? Read article here and Download PDF here.
School Safety & Door Barricades Guide
AASA – The School Superintendent’s Association
This guest blog comes from Robert Boyd, Executive Director of the Secure Schools Alliance and was posted by AASA – The School Superintendent’s Association. Read blog here.
DHI and Door Security & Safety Foundation Support STOP School Violence Act
DHI and Door Security & Safety Foundation’s stance on STOP School Violence Act. Read full press release.
Experts Discuss Classroom Barricades on Education Talk Radio
Education Talk Radio
Door Security & Safety Foundation CEO Jerry Heppes joined a panel of fire safety and school security experts on Education Talk Radio on Sept. 21 to discuss the dangers of classroom door barricade devices in schools. The panelists expressed opposition to these non-code compliant devices and the unexpected consequences associated with installing them. Listen to the program.
Question Of The Week: Do Door Barricades Compromise School Safety?
Facility Executive
An important question on classroom barricade devices: do they run the unintentional risk of trapping students and teachers during emergency situations? The Door Security & Safety Foundation has created a short educational video to highlight the dangers of barricades and to explain how to safely secure classroom door openings. Read more
Classroom Barricade Devices Are Not the Answer
Wilson Building Solutions, LLC
Classroom barricade devices violate specific life-safety and fire code that door openings must comply with to ensure the safety of building occupants. Watch the Door Security & Safety Foundation’s educational video to discover why classroom barricade devices are not the answer. Read more
DSSF: Opening the Door to School Safety
iDigHardware.com
The School Superintendents Association, National Association of State Fire Marshals and ASIS International are collaborating with the Door Security & Safety Foundation to stress the importance of securing classroom doors without compromising life safety. Read more
Impact of the Opening the Door to School Safety Campaign
Door Security & Safety Foundation
The Opening the Door to School Safety Campaign is designed to highlight the dangers of door barricade devices in schools and to provide assistance in better understanding secure and safe classroom door openings. Read more
SIA Opposes Use of Classroom Barricade Devices (See Video)
American Security Today
The Security Industry Association opposes the use of classroom door barricade devices. As a way to protect against active shooters, these devices prevent all entry into a classroom when deployed. However, there are unintended consequences associated with the devices. Watch the Door Security & Safety Foundation’s short video to understand the risks associated with classroom door barricades. Read more
Barrier Management Key to Compliance
Doors & Hardware
The American Society for Healthcare Engineering collaborated with the Joint Commission’s Hospital Accreditation Program, Underwriters Laboratory, and the Firestop Contractors International Association to develop the Barrier Management Symposiums. The purpose was to discuss the design, installation, inspection, and maintenance of barrier systems. Read more
Testifying Against Barricade Devices in Schools
Doors & Hardware
The Door Security & Safety Foundation was represented at hearings held by the Ohio Board of Building Standards to gather testimony regarding the use of barricade devices in schools. Read more
Foundation Information Packet for Ohio Board of Building Standards
Door Security and Safety Foundation
The Door Security & Safety Foundation believes that barricade devices used on doors compromise life safety and should not be approved by any jurisdiction. They have provided numerous resources for use by the Ohio Board of building Standards while they consider whether to allow barricade devices in Ohio schools. Read more
Ensure You Have Rapid Egress and Effective Ingress Control in Schools and Educational Businesses
Retrofit
A consequence of tragic school shootings is the need to prevent unauthorized ingress through a classroom door. Learn about specially designed hardware for classrooms that can lock from both the inside and outside of the door. Read more

Active Shooter Incidents in the United States in 2018
Federal Bureau of Investigation
The FBI has designated 27 shootings in 2018 as active shooter incidents. The FBI defines an active shooter as one or more individuals actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a populated area. Learn more about active shooter incidents in the United States in 2018. Read the report here.

Classroom Safety Barricades: Safety Measure or a Dangerous Violation of the Law?
Lexology.com
Recent good-faith attempts by many educational institutions to improve safety measures for students, teachers, and administrators instead put many of these educational institutions in the position of potentially violating federal, state, and/or local law. Read full article here.

Campus Safety Takes Stand Against Non-Code-Compliant Door Barricades.
Campus Safety
Campus Safety
Takes Stand Against Non-Code-Compliant Door Barricades. ASIS, PASS, DSSF & DHI Applaud CS Policy Change. Read article here .
Secure Schools Alliance Barricade Fact Sheet
Secure Schools Alliance
The Secure Schools Alliance has released a fact sheet to help stakeholders understand unintended consequences, liabilities, as well as codes and standards for classroom security. Read the fact sheet here.
Prioritizing Life Safety While Addressing Classroom Security
Domestic Preparedness Journal
Door Security & Safety Foundation CEO, Jerry Heppes, comments on the importance of prioritizing the balance of life safety and security in an article published by the Domestic Preparedness Journal. Read full article here.
School Liability and the Law of Unintended Consequences
Allegion
Granting that everyone involved in this issue has the same goal — keeping children safe — the end result for local school districts can be confusion about which products comply with the law, are cost-effective and, above all, actually make students safer. Read more.
How SIA Promotes Safer Schools
SecurityIndustry.org
About 50 million students attend 100,000 public schools in the United States, and SIA is dedicated to working to enhance the security of those facilities. Learn more about SIA’s goal: A Safe Learning Environment for Every Student. Watch Video
SIA Opposes Classroom Barricade Devices
CR80News
The Security Industry Association and the Partner Alliance for Safer Schools came out in support of Door Security & Safety Foundation’s campaign to warn about classroom door barricade devices. The organizations stress that these intended safety measures can cause more harm than they prevent. Read more
SIA comes out against classroom barricade devices, claims fire code, bullying risks
GSN: Government Security News
The Security Industry Association is in support of an effort launched by the Door Security & Safety Foundation against the use of classroom door barricade devices. According to the groups, the devices can cause more harm than they prevent. Read more
Battling the Barricade
Construction Specifier
In response to horrific recent school shooting tragedies, some school districts feel the urge to enhance the security of classroom doors with classroom door barricade devices. Many of these systems can result in increased risks and liability and can violate current code requirements. Pages 68-74. Read more
Opening the Door to School Safety
Door Security & Safety Foundation
The Door Security & Safety Foundation’s video and public relations campaign stresses the importance of securing classrooms without compromising the safety of students and faculty. Read more
SIA Opposes Use of Classroom Barricade Devices
Newsmanager.com
Classroom barricade devices can cause more harm than they prevent. The Security Industry Association is in support of the effort launched by the Door Security & Safety Foundation to educate and inform school administrators about the risks. Read more
America’s Maginot Line: Why Our Focus on Secondary Locking Devices Makes Us More Vulnerable to Threats
Doors & Hardware
Lt. Joe Hendry, CLEE, discusses the debate between the usage of secondary locking systems and door barricade systems or traditional door locks, arguing that barricades do more to trap occupants than saving them.  Read more
The Challenge of Life Safety
Doors & Hardware
Ohio legislature passed a bill authorizing use of barricade products after a school district was prevented from using them by the state fire marshal. Life safety falls into a difficult category where you can’t feel it until needed, making the jobs in the industry difficult as they attempt to provide solutions to prevent disaster. Read more
Ohio Board of Building Standards Classroom Barricade Forum Report July 24, 2015
Ohio Board of Building Standards
The Ohio Board of Building Standards conducted an examination of Ohio’s current building and fire codes and considered whether they needed to be changed to address emerging threats to public safety, including the possibility of an active shooter in schools. Read more
Understanding Lock Functions
Doors + Hardware
Determining which lock function is appropriate for which door can drive a specifier crazy. Read more

Opening the Door to School Safety
School Administrator
Modifying building codes to allow door barricade devices might keep a gunman out of classrooms, but the unintended consequences associated with the device could put children at even more risk and increase the district’s liability. Read more

How Do I Know if My School Has Code Compliant Locks?

Follow our simple three step guide to find out if classrooms in your school have code-compliant locks.
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The Dangers of Classroom Door Barricade Devices

Learn consequences of installing barricade devices on classroom doors. Learn from the experts.
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Toolkit:
How You Can Take Action

Download fact sheet, white paper, liabilities of classroom barricade devices report, and more.
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