As many have begrudgingly echoed lately, mass shootings at our nation’s schools are a “sign of the times.” Indeed, not exactly a pleasant subject matter but one which does require getting our collective heads together to come up with solutions. Over the summer break, legislation allocated funding and dedicated more security for schools. Namely, school resource officers and school guardians were added, at least throughout Florida. Some school s went for fencing. Others opted for camera surveillance. But it doesn’t stop there; at least it shouldn’t. As every cop knows: complacency kills and not much is foolproof. Cops train constantly, for good reason. So do firefighters, since natural elements are often unforgiving. Public safety minds never settle; innovative tactics, strategies and tools are infinitely sought after. That’s how innovations are born.
While on duty, I spent many moments among our city’s fire department personnel. Those folks are resourceful and handy in myriad ways. One such fire crew in the southwest arrived at an economic method to safeguard students in schools against the would-be active shooter raiding educational environments. Basically, it was the hose under their nose.
Cut into short sleeves, old firehoses formerly used to attack fires are still laden with enough integrity to basically act as a door-stop so that the armed intruder(s) can not enter classrooms or offices at schools. The following illustrates portioned firehose segments and demonstrates how easy they are to use:
Pretty simple yet fascinating concept, huh? In my police retirement, I find that I am easily drawn to marvels of engineering. What you just watched doesn’t even compel a head-scratch. It is brilliant and cost-effective life-saving equipment which likely has seen many road expeditions dousing dangers…and still possesses durability. Similarly, I bet taxpayers whose hard-earned dollars paid for these hoses never anticipated they would be responsible for keeping school kids safe to this degree and with no more out-of-pocket expense.
Lightbulb Moment
In Kentucky, NBC affiliate WPSD reporter Pauline Fitzgerald explains the repurposed fire hose idea started “on Facebook, posted by a fire department in Arizona. Darin French with the Mayfield Fire Department says the recent string of deadly school shootings across the country, including the Jan. 23 tragedy at Marshall County High School, motivated him to try it himself. ‘Anytime you see something like that pop up on the news, it is heartbreaking and wrenching,’ French said. That’s what made him want to do something to protect the kids in his community. ‘We’re service providers, so that’s what we do,’ French said. ‘And any way we can help out, that’s what we’re gonna’ do.’”
From what I can gather, this idea is spreading since its inception in May 2018. It seems each respective fire department is sectioning the lengths of its older “attack lines” (irony?) and personally delivering them to schools in their jurisdiction.
As for law enforcement, particularly the school resource officers working the school settings, fire hose sleeves grant even more peace of mind to an overworked guardian whose challenges on target-rich terrain increased tenfold in recent years. That revisits all the laws recently created to harden schools. But it’s not just about helping school cops, it’s about empowering everyone within the school confines to hunker down when escape is not an option. Simple, lightweight, harmless fire hose sleeves can be easily slid in place by administrators, teachers and students. For some, reach can be aided by the availability of classroom chairs.
As Pima County school resource Deputy Scott McLeod opined, teachers can swiftly slide the fire hose over the door’s slow-close hydraulic axle and safeguard students far from the door. Deputy McLeod said, “I tell the teachers, enlist the help of your students if you’re in a true lockdown scenario…have students barricade the door and also use the sleeve.”
Although I have no standing in the physics realm, it suffices to say that, from video portrayals and explanations declaring how durable fire hose material is, using these make-shift “door locks” add promise to a ostensibly untenable school epidemic. Arguments ensued over how even traditional door locks could be obliterated by the firepower wielded by the active shooter. That is still true, except the firehose sleeve serves as backup…and the gunman will have no idea of what is preventing access. Even if he/she shoots through the door, it is not likely he’ll have enough time or ammo to bore a hole big enough to squeeze his hateful body through, at least not before law enforcement arrives in droves. Fire hoses buy time, and may save plenty of lives, should ugliness present on school grounds.
And if ugliness does get close enough, one reservation I have with firehose door locks is the fact that there is some give, whereby a shooter’s arm can possibly slip in and indiscriminately spray bullets. Firehose door locks is not a perfect seal, just basic resistance to anyone pushing in from the other side. That engenders staying away from the door and definitely behind the most bulky objects in classroom or office.
Not Everyone Likes the Idea
Naturally, every fire department in America is perpetually cognizant of fire codes. What is disallowed in dwellings because of safety hazards is not just endemic to fire personnel; citizens ought to know what is acceptable by common sense. Never block fire exits or walkways, businesses must have fire extinguishers, etc. Some folks who became aware of the firehose door locks feature deny the effectiveness and legality of the simple innovation.
Facebook has a few Debbie Downers who barked at the idea. Jon Chanslor wrote, “Most shooters fire through the transom window and never open the door. This sleeve, although in good gesture, does have the potential to prevent first responders from entering the room in those emergencies. I agree that it is ‘not the best idea.’ I like the bucket of rocks over this.” Didn’t quite paint the full picture there but he is still entitled to his brush.
Backing Jon’s reasoning is Craig Bellamy, apparently speaking for New Jersey schools: “This is a violation of NJ Fire Codes” to which Brian Butler retorted “Oh, geez, sure hope you aren’t doin an inspection during a shootout.”
Facetiously cutting the pie equally, Justin Hunt said, “It’s against code to block any fire emergency exit. It’s also against code to shoot innocent children.” I think I’ll go with number three. Compromises, compromises.
Cost-Effectiveness
As previously alluded to, the firehose sleeve as door locks concept is basically…free. Go price door locks and multiply that based on an excess of doors in schools. Even choosing a modest number of doors, let’s say 20, the inherent cost to the school district (taxpayers) is surpassed by free materials delivered to your school door. As Facebook’s Rob Gresser extolled the firehose innovation: “That is an awesome idea that is no cost to the schools! Some ideas have been floated with new products that would cost thousands just for each school!”
Darren French, assistant chief of the Mayfield, Kentucky fire department, says of the fire hoses, “They served their life, and now they can have another purpose.” Despite being used and older, French states the hoses still maintain integrity to suit school security goals.
“It’s a standard double-jacketed hose that we use for attack lines,” French shared with WPSD News. “We keep a lot of pressure on them when we’re pumping water on them.” I’ve no idea what new firehoses cost taxpayers, but I bet it is not inexpensive to have a tube strong enough to withstand that pressure-blast Chief French mentioned. They’ve been known to throw around firefighters like an octopus mad with a migraine.
Incidentally, the firehose “door locks” concept took off after the Glendale, Arizona fire department was approached by the principal at Desert Garden Elementary School, Joe De La Huerta. His observations of a Kansas-based teacher who reportedly innovated old firehose to clamp door hinges compelled him to ask his fire department personnel to generate firehose segments for his school’s doors.
A teacher whose marvelous idea parlayed in her local school setting spread like wildfire and garnered national attention for an American epidemic. Like resilient Americans, solution-based mindsets needing neither research nor tax funds were a lock for a gruesome fact of life in the United States.
It is indisputable that cops and firefighters are co-reliant and stick together by public safety bondo. As it relates to ensuring public safety in academic environs, this story is one exemplification of that fact. What are your thoughts on firehose door locks for schools?
