New glass to keep school kids safer

It’s a simple product that’s called Security Film. Some local districts are installing it in the entrances of their school buildings, and this product could slow access to buildings, which may be all it takes to save lives.

“You can see how easy that pushed in,” said Dave Burns during a demonstration.

The owner of Ray Sands Glass in Chili demonstrated what happened when ordinary glass is broken, the kind you’ll find in most school entrances. It takes seconds to break the glass, remove it and get in the building, but some schools aren’t taking chances on ordinary glass.

Security Film is like thick plastic bonded to the glass, making it tough like rubber. It takes a few minutes to break through and there’s the risk of getting cut.

“If we can slow him down 90 seconds it gives everybody a chance to go in lock down mode, everybody can get to a safe zone, law enforcement can be called. It gives everybody a chance to do what they have to do, and, importantly, most perpetrators don’t have a plan b,” said Burns.

Burns showed us a glass door. He fired bullets through it, left it outside and, years later, it’s still like rubber. Three local schools have installed security film. Of those schools, at least one is the Greece Central School District. Installation is going on at four other local schools.

“Glass is the weakest part of any building. It’s a breakable item,” Burns said.

Burns says that’s how Adam Lanza was able to get into Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut where he shot and killed 26 students. Some Greece taxpayers say they worry about more incidents like Sandy Hook.

“If they see people outside the building that may stop them. Okay, this might be a small deterrent, but it’s not like you see a body there,” said Anna Santillo, Greece resident.

“Things have gotten quite far afield, so I think this is a good use of taxpayer money,” said Tony Cooper, Greece resident.

Not only are schools investing in Security Film, but Burns tells us it has found its way to municipal buildings, police departments and other places. Burns says it is substantially cheaper than what is known as bullet proof or bullet resistant glass.