While Sandy Hook completely rebuilt and added an array of new safety features to their building, many schools don’t have that option. They are looking for ways to add additional safety features to their already established school security systems, without breaking budget.
In more and more schools, security upgrades are being installed and campus officials are beginning to see the importance of securing exposed and breakable glass, especially in first-floor rooms. To do this, they are using Security Window Film.
How It Works:
Security films are polyester or PET films that are applied to glass and prevents the glass from separating if shattered. The film is anywhere from 4 to 21 mils thicker than regular windows, therefore increasing shatter resistance. By applying the film to the inside of the glass and then adding a large bead of structural silicone to the perimeter of the glass, it makes it almost impossible for intruders to shatter the glass and enter a room or building.
Its Uses:
- Protection from intruders
- Protection during severe weather
- Protection from earthquakes
- Protection from bomb and blasts
- In classrooms on the perimeter of a building
- In classrooms on the interior of a building
- On skylights or overhead windows
The ease with which the gunman entered Sandy Hook after shooting the glass out of windows, has been the primary factor in many school’s decisions to include the window film in their school security plan. While installing shatter proof windows is costly and unrealistic for some schools, the film has been an affordable alternative. At least 22 school districts have installed the glass as a part of safety initiatives.
Protect Windows AND Doors
While security window film is an affordable way to protect windows, don’t leave the most obvious vulnerabilities in your school open to threats. Protecting your classroom doors is an obvious, yet not always easy, way to keep kids safe. The Nightlock Lockdown Classroom Door Barricade is a simple and effective way to prevent an intruder from kicking in a door. It allows a teacher to quickly barricade a door from inside the classroom, eliminating exposure even more. A classroom equipped with the Classroom Door Barricade and security window film will be protected from intruders on all angles.