A Novel Idea From a Fireman on School Classroom Safety
Nontypical
Member Posts: 27 ✭✭
My son's girlfriend is a kindergarten teacher in the Houston, Texas area. She told me that the local fire department provided them 8-10 inch pieces of old fire hose that are slipped over the metal rods on the inside of the classroom and perimeter school doors that do not allow the classroom doors to be opened regardless if an intruder tries to shoot the door lock off (if they are locked in the first place). Even if the door was unlocked, the intruder still could not make entry.
One of the local firemen in the Houston area came up with this idea. I understand that the local fire departments had some old fire hose that they were going to dispose of anyway.
The process would be a coordinated effort between the local fire departments who periodically have to dispose of old fire hose and school superintendents and district personnel.
I figure it provides our kids and teachers a second or third line of defense behind a locked door and arming willing and thoroughly-trained teachers. The concept would possibly save lives, it’s cheap, and it helps keep old firehoses out of the landfills. The teacher would keep that piece of firehose in his/her desk drawer and deploy it when there is an alert about an intruder.
An 8-10" piece of 2-3 inch diameter PVC pipe would work as well
Comments
Great idea.
great idea but it would also trap kids inside.
Not a bad idea. I'm all for anything that helps save kids from the deranged and/or tyrannical.
And fiery auto crashes
Some will die in hot pursuit
While sifting through my ashes
Some will fall in love with life
And drink it from a fountain
That is pouring like an avalanche
Coming down the mountain
Why can't we put in emergency door system like they have in hospitals? All doors automatically close and lock, by fire alarm, manual pushing a button , or been told they can be activated by loud sound (gun shot) recognition.
That would require common sense, Joe, not a lot of that in abundance anymore. As much as we pay in school taxes every year there should be enough to do all the schools in our county.
Joe
I hear what you're saying and I agree with you that is a valid option, but I always look for a logical, inexpensive solution to problems like this, especially with school districts that have limited budgets. And I guess I am old school. I would not necessarily want to trust electronic equipment to work in an emergency situation every time with my grandkids at stake.
What is so difficult about using a standard sliding bolt or chain lock. They don't need to reinvent the wheel a million time just to secure a door. Everyone knows how to use em and you don't need a stool like a child or short teacher would to use that sleeve.
I believe Morgan Freeman in "Lean On Me" got in trouble for barring the doors.
If they truly want to harden the schools it'll resemble a Super Max.
The doors and/or locks were NOT an issue in the latest tragedy!(IMHO) That school had working locks on the outside, and apparently on the classroom doors too. The outside door was propped open and I assume the classroom door wasnt locked until the crazy person got inside and locked it. IF people would have simply followed their own protocols, MAYBE this could have ended better. I say maybe because no one can really know. Lots of missed opportunities to do the right thing here, and i dont think one more locking mechanism would have helped in this specific case. Just my 2 cents.
In the 'land of oz' that the USA has become, it's illogical to ASSume that someone can't or won't misuse even the most simple item(as in unintentionally bar a door and lock kids inside when they should be able to leave).We have all sorts of 'child proof' gadgets on pill bottles, laundry detergents, and all sorts of stuff when some quick and effective correctional action would solve the problems once and for all.
Maybe having a father at home and being able to be employed would help at the root of the problem. But no, you will own nothing,rent everything from the state and given social welfare to all.
The nuclear family is dead and social morality is warped. This is the biggest cause and it will eventually disarm the whole population for it's the will of people? Stalin would have been proud to see it!
serf
This could be accomplished for ALL schools at a Federal level, and not at the local school's budget level. This country has already sent tens of billions of dollars in financial and military aid to defend Ukraine's borders. The Dem's have also stopped protecting US borders, so why not use that money as well? This kind of retro-fit could be done at a national level and in minimal time.
Schools aren't like the open havens of learning like we were when we were kids. Now they are occupied with video game watching, and anti-depressant drug taking minors. There should be a single ingress, with airport type scanners, and automatic hospital type locking doors that are alarm or manually operated. The alarm could be an active shooter alarm independent of the fire alarm.
I have never figured out why cell phone pics load differently than what you see on your phone. This pic is not sideways on my phone....but here ya go if you want to see without looking at the link. I think its a great idea.
I also saw where they can jam a chair leg into the handle of the door and it keeps the door from opening.
I have been a state certified Fire Inspector for 20 years. For the last 12 years, school officials nationwide have been working with fire, police & public safety officials on improvements to school safety. Requirements for classroom locks & latches are spelled out in the Life Safety Code (NFPA 101), & they change every few years. Several of my schools have asked me about installing gadgets represented as improving safety; most were actually far more dangerous.
Think about what would happen in a school when a "lock down" situation becomes a "fire evacuation" situation, & some of the teachers are incapacitated.
If you have an idea that will improve school safety, send it to your county/state fire marshal for consideration. Please don't try to do it on your own; that could get you into a heap of trouble.
Neal
Two or three common hard rubber door stops make almost any door virtually unopenable - and are at floor level where even a kid can remove them when quick exit is needed.
Having this hose tucked in a desk drawer would lead to it not being readily available, buried under who knows what. It should be right there where/when its needed.
Also, not all classroom doors have those automatic closers. Dead bolts that can be pushed into the floor, door frame (side and upper) make alot of sense if the culprit has not entered the room. The possibility exists it would create a barrier to keep the good guys out.
I posted a while ago about something as simple as a cheap throw bolt being adequate to save lives. Accessible to even a small child and inexpensive. As redneckandy wrote, no need to "reinvent the wheel".
What is a cheap throw bolt?
A bolt that is both inexpensive and/or poorly made that is propelled.
And fiery auto crashes
Some will die in hot pursuit
While sifting through my ashes
Some will fall in love with life
And drink it from a fountain
That is pouring like an avalanche
Coming down the mountain