Hose that once helped firefighters put out flames is being repurposed to boost safety efforts in Queen Creek schools.
The Queen Creek Fire and Medical Department donated 300 feet of old hose. The district cut the material into 600 roughly six-inch sleeves that, when slipped over the arm of a door closer, help prevent it from opening.
“We had in the past a false sense of security that if the door were locked we were fine, but as we’ve learned we need additional layers of protection,” said Jamie Incardone, a data specialist at Jack Barnes Elementary School.
The district’s “enhanced lockdown” calls for teachers to use the sleeves, barricade the door, spread students throughout the room and have them find objects that could be used to counter an intruder.
“We’re prepared and not scared,” Incardone said.
Last year the district introduced the ALICE safety model, which stands for Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter and Evacuate. Trainers for the program introduced the idea of using the old firehose to help secure the doors.
Teachers reached out to Queen Creek’s City Council which connected the district to the fire department.
“This is just one really good piece of giving back to the community,” said Fire Chief Vance Gray.
Queen Creek Unified School District has also used bond funds approved by voters to improve the security at its schools. For example, the front doors at Jack Barnes Elementary are always locked and the reception desk opens the doors with a button. Staff use a key-card.
