It’s as if they were installed over night. The new Nightlock Door Locks are another way Fenton Schools are making their buildings safer. The locks were placed on all of the doors within the school. They were installed in all of the Fenton Area Public Schools (FAPS) buildings and will be installed in all of the Genesee County school districts.

“The Nightlock Devices provide our staff and students another layer of safety in situations where we must lockdown,” Superintendent Adam Hartley said. “It allows our staff and students to lock the door in a fast and safe manner.”

According to nightlock.com, the locks make it harder for intruders to gain access, “On a conventional door, an intruder or active shooter can break a door window, reach in, and gain access to the doorknob lever to open the door (even with security mesh wire). With the Nightlock Lockdown 1 at the floor level, it is out of reach.”

Jason Matznick was part of the team that helped to bring the Nightlock devices to the school district, he says the locks are easy for teachers to use.

“Now it’s simple and fast for staff to barricade doors during a Lockdown,” Matznick said. “It eliminates the need to pile furniture in front of doors. Even if the door is unlocked, the Nightlock Lockdown can withstand a couple thousand pounds of force.”

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PHOTO Gracie Warda

Next to every door in the school, a box attached to the wall contains the red Nightlock piece.

Part of the reason Matznick wanted to help Hartley with this initiative is because of his children in the district.

“As a parent I’m glad I could work with Dr. Hartley & FAPS to implement these safety devices into classrooms,” Matznick said. “It makes me and my wife feel better that teachers and staff have the tools to allow students to remain safe during a lockdown.”

Hartley believes that the locks will help save time in an emergency situation.

“In an event we must lock down, each class can now do so in seconds without checking to see if the door is locked or going into the hallways to lock the door,” Hartley said. “In dangerous situations, time is precious. Adding a layer of safety to keep intruders out is essential in giving the police the time needed to handle the situation.”

Police Chief Jason Slater is in favor of the installation of the new locks.

“From a Law Enforcement perspective, I feel that a secondary locking device that combines ease of use and rapid deployment is essential in securing the safety of students and staff in the event of an active shooter situation,” Slater said.

Biology teacher Kim Wilhite likes the second layer of protection.

“I think they’re a good idea because it’s one extra barrier for us to have,” Wilhite said. “I am worried about not being able to get to other science classrooms, but they’re fairly easy to use and work like a puzzle piece.”

The “Nightlocks” are going to be installed in half of the school districts in Genesee County by the end of the summer. To help fund the “Nightlocks” that were placed in the FAPS buildings, members of the community can visit The Safety Campaign and donate there.