COLUMBIA COUNTY, Fla. – A new proposal in Columbia County would help keep school doors closed during a lockdown, and it involves using part of a fire hose.
Austin Thomas, with the Lake City Fire Department, is one of the firefighters rolling out old hoses to donate to public schools.
"Any of the hoses that will potentially be out of service or not up to par, we take those hoses out of service and cut the bad end away," Thomas said. "Those hoses, we are using to put over the door mechanisms."
When the teacher places the hose over the arm of the mechanism, it's intended to act like a secondary lock to keep the door from opening and give officers more time to respond.
The Fire Department joined forces with Columbia County Fire Rescue to outfit each classroom with the hose.
The extra layer of protection won't cost the schools anything. Roger Little, the principal at Eastside Elementary School, welcomes the idea.
"It helps keep our kids safe here at the school," Little said. "What more can you ask for?"