Door security enhancements increase campus-wide safety
An example of new door lock on campus.
The State University of New York at Fredonia continues its never-ending commitment to campus safety by improving door security and access to every door in every building on campus.
The upgrade allows someone to manually lock a door from the inside during situations like a lockdown or lockout. Depending on the door type, it could be a push button or latch/switch. The affected doors include classrooms, lecture halls, offices and practice rooms.
The months-long project, initiated by the Office of Environmental Health and Safety and Sustainability, was a capital project approved by SUNY as a campus safety project and has been in the works for several years.
"The campus-wide door hardware project is another important safety program that Fredonia has deemed a priority," said Emergency Planning Coordinator Charles Holder. "It gives our students, faculty and staff the ability to safely secure themselves and others behind locked doors in the unlikely event of an emergency."
University Police Department (UPD) and other staff members can unlock the door from the outside if needed. UPD does have the ability to lock down doors that have swipe card access through their dispatch center.
The project impacts doors that do not have swipe card access functionality. Some areas of campus, such as residence halls, already have swipe card access to gain entry to the building, and individual rooms can be locked.
"This project is the latest example of our continuous campus-wide commitment to keep Fredonia State University an extraordinarily safe place," said University Police Chief Brent Isaacson. "I would encourage all of our campus community members to visit the University Police Department webpage and view the ‘Run, Hide, Fight’ video to learn more about how to respond in emergencies, including the presence of an armed intruder.”
Holder encouraged students, faculty, and staff to check the doors of rooms they use to ensure they understand the locking mechanism and to have a personal evacuation plan and lockdown procedure for the classroom or office they work in.
