Schools have become targets for unthinkable violence; with the rise in incidents comes a rise in the need to protect innocent lives. When considering bulletproof doors for schools, there are a few main points to keep in mind.
- Perform an in-depth threat assessment to determine what kind of protection level your school needs.
- Use bulletproof doors and access controls to limit entry points for would-be assailants.
- Prioritize the educational experience and ease of access for students and faculty.
Every campus has a different layout and different elements that require protection. This can make it difficult to generalize advice that works equally well for all schools. For specific recommendations tailored to your educational campus, consult an experienced industry expert like Bullet Guard.
1. Determine Your Protection Level with a Threat Assessment
Before you order bulletproof doors for schools, you’ll need to understand what kind of doors you need to keep your students safe. At Bullet Guard, an independent third party tests our products to the highly-regarded industry standard UL 752. The UL Standard runs from protection Level 1 to Level 10; levels 1 through 8 are used commercially, and levels 9 through 10 are typically only used for military and extreme-threat situations. Each level can stop a certain number of bullets from a certain type of firearm.
Many schools find a Level 3 bulletproof door is sufficient for their needs. Level 3 can stop multiple rounds from a .44 magnum and other handguns. However, some schools prefer more robust protection with a Level 5 bulletproof door, designed to stop rounds from a high-power rifle.
By conducting a threat assessment, you consider the likelihood of various threats and what kind of security is best suited to mitigate those hazards. This will inform your decisions for ballistic ratings and materials.
Once you establish your protection level needs, you can start to triage your vulnerable points and critical locations. We outlined some of the most common areas in a free infographic; download the free “Vulnerable Points and How to Protect Them” infographic to get started today.
2. Determine Important Points to Protect
The best way to prevent a tragedy is to keep it from happening in the first place. Prevent an attacker from gaining entry to your school by focusing your efforts at the exterior access points. From there, you can identify subsequent areas of the building that you can secure with bulletproof doors.
Main Entrance
Schools often have multiple doors forming a large entrance with a vestibule. This is often the first place we recommend securing with ballistic doors. Many schools choose bulletproof doors and framing at the main entrance.
Main entrance doors may be unlocked at the beginning and end of the school day, with access control systems to ensure authorized entry during school hours when students aren’t going in and out.
Cafeteria
In interior locations like the cafeteria, we focus on containment. For an open hallway that connects to the cafeteria, adding bulletproof doors can help section off other areas of the building for better containment. Ensure all doors are secure and use aluminum or wood bulletproof doors to match existing doors and maintain aesthetic appeal.
Long Hallways and Classrooms
Bulletproof doors at the ends of long corridors and at the classroom level offer additional layers of protection that work in tandem with bulletproof exterior doors. If exterior doors fail to keep intruders out, interior doors help keep them from moving around the building.
Multipurpose Rooms
These types of rooms can function as safe rooms during an adverse event. You may consider a ballistic system that protects the entire room, including bulletproof fiberglass wall panels, bulletproof glass windows, and bulletproof doors.
3. Maintaining Aesthetics in Ballistic Systems for Education
Prioritizing aesthetics can keep your ballistic protection from hindering the educational experience of your students. No one wants to feel like they’re going to school in a dangerous environment! That’s why Bullet Guard goes above and beyond to make sure your ballistic systems are tailored to your school’s existing aesthetic.
For instance, entry doors can be replicated using bulletproof materials. These bulletproof doors are nearly identical to their non-rated counterparts and blend into their environment, maintaining the academic environment. We’ve been fabricating bulletproof doors for decades, and have a high level of skill and capabilities when it comes to making bulletproof barriers match their environment.
Contact Bullet Guard to Help Secure Your School with Bulletproof Doors
When it comes to securing schools, you need to make sure you add the right protection at the right locations. Adding a few bulletproof doors may only provide a facade of protection if you miss a major point of vulnerability. This is why it’s important to work with an experienced ballistic security industry leader who can not only make the product you need, but provide insight into how to use it most effectively.
At Bullet Guard, we have almost 50 years of experience serving our community with ballistic barrier systems. We’ll put our knowledge to work for you, providing valuable advice on how to enhance your security while being mindful of educational budget constraints.
For specific recommendations for your school campus, or if you’d like to get a quote for your facility, reach out to us for more information.