Access security is not a one-size-fits-all solution.

It’s about assessing security needs and weighing door options to fit individual requirements. 

Rolling security doors not only come in many shapes and sizes, but also come with various levels of security depending on the type of threat they’re designed to protect against.

The most important thing is to get the right solution for the specific application – otherwise you end up with not enough security, or overpaying for security you don’t need.

What is lacking in one application can be completely over-engineered for another.

While the threat dynamic is consistently changing, the experts at CornellCookson see several tiers of access control security crucial for different types of government buildings now and in the future.

Visual Security – Man-Made Threats

There are times when just providing a visual deterrent is enough for an opening.

Particularly when trying to deter petty thievery, bad actors make snap judgements about the benefit of committing the crime vs the effort in doing so.

In addition, crime is often opportunistic – a would-be thief sees something in a window and decides to smash the window and grab it.

Think about what a difference a standard roll down security door would make – completely blocking the view of anything tempting, and discouraging smash and grab attacks simply because the criminal can’t see the goods.

In essence, it’s like the old adage of “keeping honest people honest.”

In addition, even in highly volatile situations, a visual deterrent can be the difference between life and death.

Think about a government worker behind a counter.

In the event that someone becomes hostile, the employee could push a panic button, closing a fast acting counter door and protecting the employee from harm.

Sure, if given enough time and tools, the person might be able to break through a standard counter door, but by that time the employee has followed emergency protocols and is long gone.

Those extra minutes bought by blocking the employee from view and physically separating them from the threat allowed them to escape unharmed from the criminal.

All from a visual deterrent.

(The award winning EntryDefender™ Door is designed to protect government buildings, pharmaceutical and cannabis dispensaries, manufacturing facilities, and other sensitive structures from attack for 5, 15 and 60 minutes in accordance with the U.S. Department of State Standard for forced entry SD-STD-01.01, Revision G (Amended). It is the only rolling door in the United States that meets that criteria and still allows designers and architects the flexibility to design large openings without compromising security. Courtesy of Cornell Cookson and YouTube.)

Storm Security – Nature-Made Threats

While man-made threats involve intent to do harm, government buildings must also protect against natural threats, like tornadoes and hurricanes.

One such way to protect against these are to use safe rooms or areas of refuge, as they are specifically constructed to keep occupants safe during a severe weather event.

One of the primary aspects of a safe room is getting occupants in and out of it, and leaving the locked down area as a hardened zone. This means door and window protection.

All FEMA-approved safe rooms must protect against high winds and flying objects according to ICC-500 or FEMA P-361.

Any state or locality that has adopted International Building Code 2015 or newer is in an area that has an increased risk of tornadoes may require certain buildings, like 911 centers and schools, to incorporate tornado-safe rooms into their buildings.

What kind of high wind and how much of an impact a safe room must withstand depends on if it is designed to withstand a tornado or a hurricane.

Tornadoes involve short, violent wind bursts, pressures, and impacts.

Hurricanes typically come on slower, last longer, and can deliver sustained wind and flooding.

So, top hurricane design wind speeds are 235 mph, while top tornado design wind speeds are 250 mph.

Impact speeds are similarly different—more intense for tornadoes, and less so for hurricanes.

As such, hurricane shelters, including their doors, have impact test criteria of being able to withstand a 110 mph impact with a 9 lb 2×4 projectile.

Tornado shelters must be able to withstand a 100 mph impact with a 15 lb 2×4 projectile.

Of note, the word “withstand” in reference to doors that protect storm shelters means that after impact, the doors may not have more than a three inch permanent deformation (or dent) that protrudes into the safe room.

This is to ensure that even if projectiles are stopped, they don’t enter too far into the storm room to potentially hurt an occupant.

For areas that are intended to be multi-use, rolling doors provide the most design flexibility.

Rolling doors can be mounted behind varying sizes of windows and full window banks (allowing light during non-events) concealed in the ceiling except in a storm situation, where it would descend down upon activation by alarm or push button.

The only place where rolling doors are unable to be used is in a path of egress, and in that case there are a variety of ICC500/FEMA 361 compliant swing doors available.

It’s great to be able to deploy doors when you need them, but what makes some rolling products really attractive is the fact that they have a tight footprint—meaning they don’t stick out into the safe room space and they don’t take up too much room inside the walls either.

You can hide the door by rolling it up into the ceiling revealing only the vertical guides, which can be embedded in the structure if you desire.

(Safe room design no longer has to be challenging. StormDefender™ gives you ICC 500 compliance with automatically locking doors that recess into the ceiling, giving you more open designs than ever before. Courtesy of CornellCookson and YouTube.)

Mob Security – Man-Made Threats

For government facilities, one critical security issue is facing the threat of mob-style attacks at doors – for example when a protest gets out of hand and people start to use whatever they have around them to gain access to a building.

This is where you need a door that can withstand brutal attacks for prolonged periods of time.

Standard coiling doors are great for standard security, but when you are dealing with true intent to harm – when you have bad actors that intend to do harm no matter the cost, you need to beef up your security.

The government standard for forced entry (SD-STD-01.01, Revision G (Amended)) was designed for attacks that escalate – not sophisticated attacks.

That’s why the testing required for this code requires six men between the ages of 18 and 24 that weigh more than 160 but less than 250 pounds to try and pass a rigid rectangular shape measuring 12” x 12” x 8” or a rigid 12” x 12” cylinder through the door using hand tools such as battering rams, axes, crowbars, and the like.

The idea of using a rolling door for this kind of protection is relatively new – oftentimes a swing door is the first thought and first line of defense.

The challenge with swing doors is that you can always see them and make a plan to breech them.

A rolling door is a great solution that is hidden in the ceiling until deployed, making it harder to see and plan to compromise.

Designers like that it is “invisible security” that flows with the intended look and feel of a space while still protecting it if needed.

In addition, rolling doors can be used to cover windows or other open spaces where a swing door just doesn’t fit – allowing for secure compartmentalization.

Remember, the intent for mob security closures is not complete impenetrability – the intent is to give occupants time.

The Department of State’s Forced Entry Code includes ratings for 5, 15, or 60 minutes of attack based on the type of building, how it would take a response team to neutralize the situation, etc.

On average, it takes responders about five minutes to respond to an emergency.

More time means escape.  More time saves lives.

That’s what forced entry doors, like the recently awarded Platinum ‘ASTORS’ Award winning EntryDefender, does – it gives occupants time.

Designed to Protect, Manufactured to Last

“The initial goal of EntryDefender^™ was to protect U.S. Department of State and military personnel at American embassies around the world,” explained Heather Bender, strategic marketing manager, CornellCookson.

“After we were contacted by the State Department, CornellCookson engineers and product specialists worked alongside the government to meet their stringent standards – resulting in a door that has multiple security applications.”

It may look like a standard rolling door from the outside, but the robust steel curtain features interlocking slats that compress when in the closed position creating a smooth surface that reduces potential pry points.

As an attack persists, the interlocking slats engage further to prevent separation and make the door even more durable.

It also features a reinforced bottom bar and discreet locking system that eliminates the ability to lift the door, making the EntryDefender^™ nearly impossible to defeat.

“Buying time is a critical safety component during violent attacks – even a few minutes can be the difference between relief and devastation,” explained Siva Davuluri, vice president of marketing, CornellCookson.

During Department of State testing and certification, EntryDefender^™ showed no signs of failure after 15 minutes of a violent mob-style attack.”

“It continued to keep the mob out for 30 minutes, 45 minutes and then hit the maximum test length of 60 minutes – at which point the test was concluded.”

While the unique design of EntryDefender™ makes the door look normal from the outside, it was created to absorb persistent, violent attacks.

Its heavy duty 12 gauge, 4” bottom bar and discrete locking system resists lifting force, making the EntryDefender™ nearly impossible to defeat.

The door is designed to operate 20,000 cycles (lifetime) as standard, but can be customized to handle additional cycles as needed.

In addition, the EntryDefender™ door is designed for a static wind load of up to 125 PSF.

From a design standpoint, this door is offered in many finishes including type 304 stainless steel, type 316 stainless steel, SpectraShield® power coat, AtmoShield™ textured powder coat or CycleShield™ high-cycle powder coat.

“High-performance rolling doors and grilles are still the preferred option for many applications as they provide standard security features and significant protection against theft attempts,” added Bender.

“The question is, how much protection does your client really need? For any application where there is a significant risk of intent to harm, violent forced entry, or terrorist threats, then EntryDefender^™ is the solution.”

EntryDefender^™ is available in a wide variety of colors and finishes, which includes more than 180 SpectraShield^® powder coating colors and 11 AtmoShield™ textured powder coating colors.

It can also be specified in a CycleShield^™ high cycle powder coating that offers significant abrasion protection.

EntryDefender™ Doors protect government buildings, pharmaceutical and cannabis dispensaries, manufacturing facilities, and other sensitive buildings from attack for 5, 15 & 60 minutes in accordance with the U.S. Department of State Standard for forced entry SD-STD-01.01 (Rev G).

No other rolling steel door manufacturer located in the US has a door that is certified to meet this standard while providing designers and architects the flexibility to design large openings without compromising security.

CornellCookson Takes Multiple Awards in the 2019 ‘ASTORS’ Awards Program

CornellCookson is a leading rolling door and grille manufacturer with facilities in Mountain Top, PA and Goodyear, AZ.

The company produces custom closure solutions found in stadiums, hospitals, hotels and museums, along with a variety of facilities where reliability, security and life safety is vital.

CornellCookson is committed to providing high quality, domestically-manufactured solutions, and its brands have operated within the United States since 1828 and 1938.

Products are sold through a network of more than 700 Cornell and Cookson dealer partners worldwide to ensure competitive pricing through equal and alternate brands.

To Learn More, please visit http://www.cornellcookson.com.

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