An active shooter simulation conducted by the Department of Homeland Security in 2020 tested the presence of doors that lock when closed, and this small change yielded “significantly” improved outcomes. Even so, one in four U.S. public schools lack classroom doors that can be locked from the inside.
The Door Security and Safety Foundation (DSSF) and the Door and Hardware Institute (DHI) have released actionable guidelines to equip builders, managers and engineers with the knowledge and steps to take to ensure the buildings they create protect their occupants long-after the construction is finished. To learn more about these guidelines and door security, Continuity Insights spoke with James Gammon, Chief Executive Officer for the DHI.
Continuity Insights: Why is there no national door security standard?
James Gammon: I believe this comes down to perceived value and impact. I think we can all agree that security is important in all aspects of our lives, but we seem to overlook the simplest solutions for something that may have a bigger impact. While there are many elements and strategies to create a safe environment, door openings seem to be overlooked as the primary defense barrier, despite the fact they have been proven effective. In fact, no active shooter has ever gotten through a secure locked door. Creating a national security door standard would allow for safer spaces with elements that are already integrated into all buildings.
CI: DSSF collaborated with DHI on a task force of experts to recommend levels of security required for building openings. What responsibilities will this task force take on?
JG: First, I think it is important to state that beyond stating recommended levels of security for building openings, this task force is based on a simple principle that we, collectively, cannot define what the term security means for every opening of every building. What this task force is meant to do is provide levels of security recommendations based on the user’s interpretation of probability of risk and its correlation to the consequences that risk could bring.
CI: In a school setting, what if a student goes to the bathroom and comes back to find out the door is locked, and they’re trapped outside? Have there been any discussions when it comes to access control when a door has been locked from the inside versus outside?
JG: There has! Budget constraints are often culprits as to why schools do not have remote access control capabilities at every door. In truth, it would be quite a large expense given most schools can have dozens upon dozens of classroom entry doors. But let’s think about the question and its relationship to our “Are your Door Opening Secure?” guidelines. Bathrooms are located inside the building, either close by or perhaps a handful of yards down a corridor. In most cases, there are still a couple of barriers between the nearest entrance and the location of the bathroom. Given that this document covers recommended security levels for those locations, if followed, a student can safely leave the classroom, return and knock on the door waiting to gain entry from the teacher without fear of adversarial behavior. Now let’s assume that there is only an exterior entry to the corridor with the bathroom located in the same vicinity. Here again, if the guidelines are followed for exterior openings (closed and securely latched), even still, the student is located in an area where adversarial behavior cannot progress into.
CI: I’ve heard stories of police and emergency responders running into trouble getting into buildings because of access control systems in place. How can this be avoided so important personnel aren’t stopped at the door?
JG: There are so many elements to this question so I will try to keep it as brief but as informative as I can. Let’s discuss two variations of this question. First, getting into the main entry point of a building. Despite access control capabilities, most locations are equipped with a Knox Box. This box is located at a place identified by emergency personnel during final building inspections; inside the box, there is a master key that gains immediate admittance to the front entry, bypassing the need for credentialed entry requirements. It is also worth noting that access to this box is done with a key that only emergency response personnel have access to. Second, we can now expand this question to where the real issue lies, and that is with the interior openings equipped with access control systems. Since the Knox Box allows entry into the main entry way to the structure, it may not grant access to every location within the building. Two main points can be made here. First, most emergency response personnel are not familiar with building layouts so a graphic map, located near the point of entry and accessible to only emergency response personnel, can be a great resource as it would show where credential entry requirements are located throughout the building.
In NFPA 101 Ch.14, there is a section on Annunciation where it requires a graphical map for sprinkler protection zones as well as smoke and fire alarm detectors. The same principle can be applied to access control locations to familiarize first responders with access choke points given an emergency. Second, there should be a documented emergency action plan in place. More importantly, the emergency action plan should include specifics on how and when emergency response personnel will enter these areas, as disabling an entire system may open doors that should not be opened, allowing free range of movement through areas where adversarial behavior should not be occurring.
CI: What else should executives know about door security?
JG: The importance of training, and not just for those that operate in the door and hardware industry, or even the emergency response personnel. Training around opening operations and intended functions is crucial for everyone who regularly uses the building. If a teacher knew the state of the opening that provided the most security, I would find it hard to believe they would degrade that level of security and with the SRO’s and facility staff in place armed with this knowledge, a level of accountability can be put in place to ensure security is always in place.
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