New door device could save lives
As we are all painfully aware, there have been a number of horrible school shootings through the years. And they’ve resulted in the loss of life for precious children and their teachers. It’s difficult to imagine a more serious crime than entering a school and killing innocent kids and school officials, who should be in a safe, protected environment.
What does almost every school shooting have in common? In nearly every case, the shooter entered a door he had no business opening. Whether it was a door to enter the school or a door on the inside to enter a classroom, a door was the entry point that allowed him to commit his despicable acts.
What if we could keep deranged shooters outside of those doors? Yes, they could still try to shoot students and teachers outside of school buildings, but at least some potential victims might have time and room to escape. They wouldn’t be sitting ducks in a classroom.
That’s what Ohio SWAT member Troy Lowe was thinking when he invented the Barracuda security system. It’s designed to protect civilians in active shooter situations. In a school, as soon as a teacher realizes there is a potentially dangerous situation in the building, he or she can take this wall-mounted closing device and push it onto the door closer arm at the top corner of the door to prevent the door from opening.
Lowe said that schools were his first priority, followed by municipal, public and government buildings. But the device can be adapted to work on any door. And with a cost of just $100 per device, homeowners might want to consider it for their front and back doors, especially if a local emergency were resulting in looting.
How would you like to have a device that would make it impossible for someone to break into your house through a door? Is this the type of thing you’d want to spend $100 on? Please let me know your thoughts about this.
was there a pic of this device? I dont see one.
I can see this device working if it is used in combination with a breakaway exterior handle. The leverage offered by a 36 to 48 inch door (typical school door size) on a normally installed air/hydraulic door closer is considerable and could overcome the resistance offered by the closer. A less expensive alternative and one operable by any person in the room, including short teachers, is a thumb turn deadbolt. Surface mounting, with through carriage bolts, offers the advantage of easy installation and not significantly weakening the door structure.
I think we are all thinking too small. The day is coming that our schools WILL be invaded. Many doors will be hit at once and wholesale slaughter will be the order of the day. Therefore, a way to barricade each door will be an excellent idea. If we also had guards on the campuses, so much the better. I am all for safety for our children. After this, we need to be able to protect our own doors and WINDOWS on our homes. I must admit, protecting windows quickly has me a bit stumped.
The only simple, workable, and cheap solution is the sliding- bolt type lock,operated by hand from the inside(heavy duty). Student, or teacher can work it. I was a shop teacher for 27 years, and a contractor for 25 years.
Yep, I want 2 of them. Then if and when that idiot trys to break through the door it will at least make it harder, also provide proof of forced entry. That way when the fool breaks through and I blow him in half I done my best to defend without violence.
I think all of you have great ideas. All that stuff about gunmen or women in schools is crazy. I say women because there probably will be a woman doing some shooting somewhere? But when I was a teen there was security people on the school property. In college there is school police. They all have guns. I think if we create a few working positions for regular people as school security and arm them like a lot of schools. They will be able to protect our kids from most perpetrators. If to include the extra security we include a special sounding emergency alarm to instruct teachers to lock there doors and not open until the release bell sounds. That will probably help save the lives of a lot of students. Of course, the people that are outside where the shooter might be will probably get shot, but while the shooter is shooting those people the other people inside the school will be safe, while the school police arrives to help and neutralize the situation with the shooter. No matter what you do. If someone is going to shoot somebody they will. follow the Golden rule of Jesus. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Stop abusing other people. Stop putting people down because you don’t agree with what they say. Stop bulling people. All this is Mental Illness. Stop bickering at each other. This is where we went wrong. If you don’t agree with this, think about it and analize the reason why you don’t agree. Then let me know. :)
No i prefer mine a 44 magnum come uninvited and i will blow 5 miles of day light through you.
A 44 mag is way to big it will go through bad guy, through the house, through the house next door, through the car in the garage and who knows how many people in these houses and cars. How about a 12 ga. shotgun
It says to attach to the door closing arm. How many homes have closing arms? For schools, it should work fine. It doesn’t say anything about a lock. You attach it and my guess you simply take the device off when the danger is no longer. Personally, I think armed teachers and faculty are the better solution.
The same result could be achieved simply by installing a heavy-duty slide-bolt latch on the inside of each door — not the little Harry Homeowner models, but the larger ones used on barns or sheds.
I don’t really expect an armed nutbag to also be toting around a large sledgehammer to beat down each door he comes to. That much noise and commotion, not to mention the delay, is only going to reduce his body count anyhow — and isn’t that the point here?
I too would like to see the device, but the description gives me a thought about what it may be. Many of you have said the device would keep emergency personnel out as well but I don’t think it said the lock couldn’t be unlocked. I would imagine that the device could be removed by the teacher just as easily as it was put in place by disarming it. As for the simple door locks, a lock is only as good as the frame. I used to install fire and security alarms on new construction including schools. I live in the Houston area and every school we worked on had cameras and a basic security alarm. Each school had a couple of people with access to the monitors for the cameras, but they weren’t dedicated security. If you’re not watching you can’t see the suspicious person coming. I also was part of the shipboard fire team in the Navy. Firefighters have equipment to get through any door including a steel door. I recently have been going to school to become a teacher and although I recently changed my mind due to all the liberal, Nazi, nutbag propaganda built into the curriculum, I did have the opportunity to do some substituting. Every time I subbed I had to find someone with a key. However there was always at least two people with one, the teacher across the hall, two doors down, or the janitor had a key. They could always be reached very quickly. This may not help much in a fire, but all the classrooms had windows as well. I know this doesn’t fit every school but I have been in a wide spectrum from very old inner city schools with new camera systems to brand new schools in the rich part of town. I’ve even done work in the small town schools. All that I have been in are very similar. Now as for the teacher carrying I believe it is a good idea. Here in my area I was shocked at the number of veterans and police officers that were teaching or going to school with me to teach. I can also tell you that most teachers protect their students like their own children and would be more likely to pull the trigger than not. Just look at the news where teachers have intervened. I know there are teachers out there that do not belong in the classroom, but that’s because the curriculum is designed to keep the good ones out. Plus the system is designed to run off the good teachers. I think any device is worth testing at the very least but the windows are the weak point. I also wanted to point out that most veterans are pretty resourceful in an emergency and as I mentioned, there are a lot of vets teaching in my area. There are companies that sell security doors and frames that are very expensive but are the next best thing to a fire safe. I feel that the schools should explore the options that they can afford. I also believe teachers should be allowed to carry. Even if the shooter wants to die, they also want to take someone with them. If they know they might be stopped before they get to any kids they may not try. Of course they might try anyway. You can’t predict what a mentally disturbed person will do. Sorry it’s so long but I felt I should offer my experience.
Loved your response very well thought and a lot of good input. I get tired of people just venting their spleen. Thank you for entering your thoughts into the arena of ideas.
I think it would be better if you had the link posted to be able to get the door lock, and as far as worrying about children being trapped in case of a fire, if you instruct the teacher in the proper way to install the device when….and again I say when an amergency arises, ( my understaning is that you place it on the door only when it is needed to lock the door) then you have the children safe in their classroom while the bad guy is out in the hallway looking for the victims that he can’t get at!
i desperately need something—front door,sliding glass patio door(has a bar to lower),3′ cheapo’ apt. style windows ;.mgment. gets very testy about the ‘obvious’. really appreciate any and all ideas…i fear for my life,to be honest
Each type of door and window presents its own problems. You really need to go visit a good lock & key shop, taking along some pictures of your doors & windows. Explain the issue with the management weenies, and see if they can recommend something effective that won’t offend the landlord.
“In a school, as soon as a teacher realizes there is a potentially dangerous situation in the building, he or she can take this wall-mounted closing device and push it onto the door closer arm at the top corner of the door to prevent the door from opening.”
It’s too late now to put it in place, the perpetrator has already entered the building. You are just trapping victims with no means to escape. It’s a stupid idea
In our little West Texas School District, Teachers have been allowed to get a Concealed Carry Permit (CCP) and are allowed to Carry on School property and in the classrooms. Others with a CCP are also allowed to carry theirs onto school property.
I’m not in favor of this device, especially for all the problems it could potential cause… fire and the children needing to get out of the room… emergency personnel or police needing to get in quickly… etc. What I propose is simply an electronic lock with a keypad. The teacher memorizes the number. Also, the number is written down and kept in the office in the case of substitute teachers, or other reasons for having the number. While it may slow down emergency personnel a bit, it keeps the children safe and anyone wanting entry can be given entry by the teacher once she has looked through the glass at the top of the door to see who it is. Very simple idea.
A short wedge, jammed between the frame and door on the hinge side of any door will restrict entry.
I live in a first floor apartment. The management company will not allow tenants to change or add any locks provided by the apartment. I have two doors that enter my living room. One is a metal front entrance door ( with peep hole) . The lock only lock on that door is one that requires a key to lock and and unlock door from outside. The only way to lock door from the inside is a small turn latch. I did put a safety slide chain on it. I also use one of those bars that fit under the door knob that you push in at the rubber end bar. I keep on a shelf by my door a hammer and 8 ten penny nails to put in between the door and jam on the hinged side( in case the SHTF. I have a glass window door that enters into my living room from a small open porch. It has the same type of turn lock as other door, but the lock is key less from outside..It also has a window next to it that is the same size of door. This set up plus the two bedroom windows scares me. Anyone intent on entrance is going to gain entrance easily. So, I need any and all suggestions how to make those more secure.
I am a very senior widow with limited income, so please keep that in mind when offering suggestions!!LOL
I do have early warning alarm in two under 4 lb, dogs. Their mouths aren’t big enough to do bodily harm, but they sure will let me know if something’s not right!
Thanks for any input
problems are many something which locks door from inside. What if it is a fire in lower grade schools? If someone had put this device on door kids may not be able to unlock, fire people may not break down in time to save some kids. If old folks had it on their home, EMS may not be able to get to them in time if they are sick or fall. If a sensor was used on all doors at schools, electric / battery, to detect any metal entering door, maybe recognize gun, alarms could go off for police to know, teachers and kids to know, Then if a fire happened kids and teachers could get out
Seems like smoke mirrors and a wet dream if you don’t have a picture of the device and make it available for the public to try it out.
I don’t see any real safety issue with this device, since those locked inside can obviously open the locking device in the unlikely event of a fire breaking out during an armed attack.
Sounds like a good idea. I see many folks here with some great ideas. Having been a police officer for some 30 years and during that time My duties included Crime Prevention beyond the catch em and jail em as well as Police Firearms Instructor for my Department. Training people to safely carry a firearm is great, but when it comes to the nut cutting many do not have the ability to kill. We find that even in seasoned Officers and Military folks at times. In crime prevention we learned that you get what you are willing to pay for. The end is that a determined intruder will get in, all you can really hope to do is slow him down or make it so hard that he moves down the road to some one else. So the more you do the better the protection. My question for you nay sayers is, “Whats Your Life Worth?”
a sensor for guns on all entry doors for schools with 3 or more alarms, 1 for head person 1 for heard person helper and 1 for police would work, even if having a sign in front of door telling guarded by sensors may help.
This makes much more sense to me, seeing as how the devise proposed in the article poses some complications in the case of fire or necessity for children to exit the classroom or for emergency personnel to enter.
For less than $20 you can purchase an adjust able metal post that is made to go between the floor and the door knob to prevent the door from being opened. The only requirement is the door must open in, not out. Works for homes, but not for schools.
No home and most school doors do not have “closer arms” except the main doors at the school. Just give all teachers the option of obtaining a concealed handgun permit & the criminals will never know which teacher is armed & will shoot back killing them so that would be a good deterrent. The “only” way to stop a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun!
How many of the people who commit crime like this care if they live through it? Most of the time, the school shooter wants to die anyway, so not much deterrent there. It will likely only be an added resource for stopping the carnage. And it may even encourage an unstable individual to proceed. In addition, many “normal” people are not actually able to pull the trigger when the time comes, they just can’t do it. So it could well end up being an extra weapon/ammo source for the killer.
You are missing the point here. Nobody is claiming that armed teachers will reduce the body count to zero, only that it will likely stop the shooter a lot sooner than he expected, and thus save lives. Instead of working his way through a dozen schoolrooms, if he gets shot at the third classroom, is this not a good thing?
Yes, some people hide in a corner or fail to shoot — but those teachers who actively pursue the training obviously approve of the strategy and are far more likely to shoot than most people, and especially if they are veterans. After all, they’re a prime target, too!
Or how about taking some of our veterans, give them automatic rifles, and have them patrol the schools?
I like the way you think!
I wouldn’t waste my time with a full-auto weapon unless I expected an entire platoon of trained, armed attackers. They’re inaccurate, hard to control, and waste most of what they shoot.
An intelligent attacker, or defender, would carry a revolver with speedloaders or a semi-auto with a lot of magazines — and NOT extended magazines that only increase your chances of a jam.
What’s wrong with training and arming some of the teachers, the ones that aren’t libs. You could also show a picture of the lock. The libs like children so much that they make it easy to kill them. This country is run by liberals, socialists, islamists, and morons. Wait, I repeat myself.
Teachers by nature are caring people. They teach these kids daily and one day you have to shoot a kid you have taught. They may not shoot or delay. Guns are heavy and cumbersome. Can you see a teacher with a gun and get tired of it and put it in their drawer and a kid get it. I can see a teacher getting their weapon taken from them. What about a shooting occur and a teacher pull their weapon out and responding officers who do not know them shoot the teacher. I think armed teachers is a bad idea.
The solution is to only issue firearms to Republican teachers. The few Democrats who might agree to carry a gun would likely either lose it, fail to ever clean or check it, or would simply cower in the corner.
;-) Ditto….
I am familiar with the device you are proposing and it seems like a good idea except that locking the door in that manner would also keep the police out. However, as much as I would like to secure my home doors against intrusion, $100 per door is more than I can afford.
Most people don’t have more than 2 doors to the outside. I have 3. However, my concern is that once you have your doors secured, what about the windows?
If the teacher or students lock themselves in, don’t you suppose that they could also UNLOCK the door if the police arrived, or in case of a fire?
Master Lock security bars readily available on Amazon for $20 bucks will offer the same protection for all.
What does the device look like, and what are the components of it.
Most homes and schools that I know of have windows. If a shooter cannot get in through the door, what is to stop him from breaking a window? Personally, I think some type of camera/alarm system to alert you when a suspicious person is approaching the building would be better.
Initially, it sounds like a money-making scheme founded upon fears for safety. Average homeowners, by and large, are not willing and maybe not able to lay out $100 per door. Certainly the poor cannot afford it. Like justice and health, one can buy all the safety that he needs – if he has the money.
How about pictures and details of the device? On the other hand, the idea person may fear losing a big market if someone figures out how to make his own door safety device.
What’s wrong with a cheap deadbolt with a key on both sides. The teacher could have the key for her door and the principle the other key. Seems it would be cheaper than $100.
I think that keys are not the answer. I mean think about dozens of keys and how they could get lost. As far as wasting money I do not think that 100 dollars to save a classroom full of students can be considered money poorly spent.
Also think about this, the teacher is absent and they forgot and took the key home with them or the substitute cant find the key.
Electronic locks. Just remember the number to key in. Have it written down in the principle’s office in case of substitute teachers, etc.
Why waste time with keys & deadbolts? Any HEAVY-DUTY sliding-bolt type lock, operated by hand from the inside, would be far quicker and certainly more foolproof, and a panicky teacher or student inside could easily open if when necessary.