It’s unfortunate that educators and parents still need to worry about protecting students and personnel from physical harm in schools. Our layered security solutions encompassing electronic access control and emergency notification systems surely deliver higher levels of protection and communications on the facility level, but one weak link has persisted to present a long-standing challenge – classroom doors.

Until now, many schools have opted for the use of barricades to secure classroom doors from the inside in the event of a crisis event. Although barricades appear to be a fast and seemingly effective solution at first glance, they are actually dangerous. They prevent first responders from entering a room, and conversely, prevent occupants from being able to quickly flee – especially in the event of a fire making them non-compliant.

Electronic access control solutions provide numerous benefits, including the ability to lockdown a facility from a centralized location. However, the ability to secure individual classroom doors from the inside presents challenges on many levels – including the ability for young students to activate a locking mechanism on moment’s notice.

A new highly effective solution is now available – wireless locks with interior pushbutton (IPB) activation. Introduced by Allegion, a new series of Schlage NDE wireless locks feature IPB, providing a fast and easy way for students and faculty inside a classroom to simply lock the door with a push of a button, restricting access only to privileged card holders or first responders.

Sielox is first to integrate these new locking devices with our Pinnacle access control platform and CLASS emergency lockdown and notification solution. This interoperable solution delivers advanced access control from the inside-out for added protection during a crisis, when advanced security protections are needed most.

Hopefully, schools that make the investment in this new highly secure and compliant classroom lockdown solution will never experience the need to use it. But at least they will have the security in knowing they are best prepared in the event an incident occurs at their school.

Learn more about our powerful, and highly cost-effective lockdown and emergency notification solutions here: www.sielox.com/solutions/school-lockdown/