Securitech Classroom Locks Installed in NY School

Friends Academy purchased the locks after receiving recommendations from a security consultant.

Friends Academy in Locust Valley, New York, decided to adopt the Quick Intruder Deadbolt, or QID, classroom locks from Securitech in 2013.

The decision came after the school, which encompasses 65 acres and offers K-12 education to around 780 students each year, hired a security consultant who specializes in the education market to conduct a review to determine ways Friends Academy could improve overall security across its entire campus.

The consultant identified a number of areas where security could be improved, including the need for Friends Academy to improve the ability for teachers and others to lock classroom doors more quickly in the event of an emergency. This particular finding didn’t exactly come as a surprise to Semlies, since concerns about the process have been voiced by a number of faculty and staff members.

“As they were set up before, you had to find your keys to be able to lock the door. The concern was that if there were an emergency or if they were in distress or if they were stressed out, would they be able to find their key quickly enough or would they be fumbling with the key, trying to put it in the keyhole?” he said. “It just seemed to be causing some angst with people that they would be worried about how much time they were wasting trying to lock their door with the key.”

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After evaluating the available door-locking options, the school chose QID classroom locks from Securitech, based mainly on its ease of use and the speed with which doors could be locked, according to the company.

The QID also maintain the single-action egress required for the safety and security of classroom occupants. Unlike non-code-compliant blocking devices, QID locks can be unlocked with a key from outside to allow first responders and other authorized staff to enter quickly. The ability to work with any access control or alarm system allows the QID to be easily deployed in any school environment without the need for a costly system upgrade or replacement, according to the company.

The project entailed deploying more than 100 Securitech QID Locksets to secure classrooms, offices and other locations within the buildings that make up the Friends Academy campus. Installation wrapped up in time for the start of the school year.

Prior to the first day of school, Friends Academy conducted training sessions with all of its faculty and staff to educate them on the features of the locksets and demonstrate how to use them in an emergency.

Because there are times when a teacher or staff member might not be in a position to lock a door, Friends Academy also followed up with student trainings.

Friends Academy has also conducted drills to provide faculty and staff with practice not only with locking doors but also with the school’s policies and procedures.

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