Opening the Door to School Safety
DHI Canada is pleased to support the Door Security and Safety Foundation's initiative on barricade devices, "Opening the Door to School Safety". This is not just an American issue - Canadian schools also face situations where students and others, armed with knives or guns, enter the building, or where students are victimized by bullies. We all want to protect our children, but we want to do so safely; unfortunately, many of the barricade devices designed for use in schools do not meet building or life safety code requirements and therefore aren't safe.
How Do I Know If My School Has Classroom Security Locks?
Check that the classroom door can be locked from the inside with a key, card or fob without opening the door, yet still allow egress from inside without having to unlock it. The door must be able to be unlocked from the outside as well. These are common door lock functions that can be performed on locks which are tested and certified to the highest standards of security and safety. They consistently meet fire and building code requirements in schools and to date have been effective against school invasions. If you’re still uncertain whether your school's security is code compliant, contact a door security and safety professional to help evaluate your facility.
Learn More About This Issue
The Door Security and Safety Foundation and DHI Canada have developed resources to help you learn more about this important issue:
Video - English
Vidéo - Français (sous-titres seulement)
Lock Don't Block
The Door Security and Safety Foundation's lockdontblock.org website has many resources for school officials and concerned parents who want to inform themselves about this issue, including third-party statements/papers by groups like the US-based National Association of State Fire Marshals, the National Fire Protection Association and the Partner Alliance for Safer Schools. It's an excellent resource to help balance life safety and classroom security.