A dangerous message has been repeated numerous times since the Sandy Hook School shooting occurred last year.   In story after story, it has been reported that the school did “everything right” but 26 people died at the school anyway.  Our analysts have noticed a dangerous pattern with some school employees that likely derive from this narrative.  While conducting controlled school crisis simulations with school employees in a one-on-one setting, we have had a number of test subjects make comments along the lines of – “it is my job to die, the Sandy Hook shooting taught me that even if we do everything right, a lot of people will die if an attacker picks our school.” 

Law enforcement administrators, fire commanders, and military leaders would be quite alarmed to hear their personnel make these types of statements.  Professionals in all of these fields are taught that while some personnel in their field will surely be killed in their service to others, there are numerous things that can be done to dramatically reduce the risks of death in these high stakes arenas.  When we interviewed former Delta Force Special Operator Tom Satterly for Staying Alive – How to Act Fast and Survive Deadly Encounters, he emphasized that he survived many long hours of intensive combat as part of Task Force Ranger in Mogadishu by believing that he would survive if he did his part and that his fellow soldiers would do their part.  Having earned six Bronze Stars in service to the United States Army, Tom speaks with authority when he tells us that an important point to survival in desperate situations is confidence.  Satterly carefully points out that while arrogance can kill, confidence is instrumental in surviving tough situations.

I am distressed that a sometimes pervasive message is sometimes being disseminated in the media, at professional conferences, in school safety training programs, drills and exercises, and in school security assessments where physical features are purported to be the primary means to protect people from violence.  While dangers must be identified and addressed, preaching gloom is in direct conflict with what considerable research teaches us about preparing people and organizations to survive deadly encounters.

Barron’s, one of the nation’s most respected book publishers, has requested that Safe Havens develop a concept for a sequel to Staying Alive – How to Act Fast and Survive Deadly Encounters.  Designated as a top four publisher’s pick from the 160 titles to be published by Barron’s this year, Staying Alive is a heavily researched book.  The seven subject matter expert reviews of Staying Alive have been positive and the editorial and project management teams at Barron’s have expressed that to us that they have been extremely impressed with the quality of our research, authoring, editing ,and project management.  The five person team that has worked on Staying Alive has met every deadline during the project.  Staying Alive will be released in bookstores this April.  A powerful free web viewable companion video will be released on the Safe Havens website in March.

We feel honored that this distinguished publisher has expressed interest in a sequel when for a book that is not yet been published.  I have been published by a number of other reputable publishers including Jane’s and Prentice Hall and feel truly blessed to be able to work with such high caliber publishers.

During a series of interviews with the producer for the Today Show, I was asked to provide a list of high end school access control practices.  While truly effective school access control can be a bit more complicated than a bullet list of concepts, I thought the observations we have had from thousands of school security assessments we have assisted with might prove to be helpful to many readers. 

While it is critical to note that school access control concepts should be tailored to fit local conditions, the following concepts can often help to improve school access control.  Our analysts also hasten to point out that school access control is often only as reliable as the weakest link.  For example, superb front entryway design, technologies and staffing can become often easily be defeated if staff prop side doors open with rocks and other objects.  This aspect of school access control also makes it even more important to use a layered approach to school security. 

With these cautions in mind, the following practices can improve the reliability of access control in most K12 schools:

1.  A thoughtfully developed and properly communicated policy on school access control

2.  Keeping all exterior doors locked during the school day

3.  Providing quality staff development on school access control, visitor screening and visitor management practices

4.  Providing effective training in pattern matching and recognition techniques to help school employees quickly spot and react to potentially dangerous people

5.  100% wear of photo identification cards by all staff and time sensitive visitor badges for all visitors

6.  Remote buzzer access with camera and audio to screen visitors before they are admitted

7.  Security film on perimeter doors and windows

8.  Requiring visitors who staff do not know by full name on sight to show photo identification or be personally identified by another staff member before being admitted beyond the office area

9.  Any visitor who will be in proximity to students or who is going to be allowed to leave with a child must be checked against sexual predator database and outstanding court orders

10.  Teaching students to report any adult in the building who is now wearing a staff identification card or visitor badge

While this list is not intended to be a comprehensive approach to school access control, the concepts listed above can make it less likely that school access control will be defeated while increasing the chances that someone who is able to breach perimeter security is quickly detected and reported.