New CornellCookson Door Designed To Provide Safe Room Protection

In the down position, CornellCookson's new StormDefender™ Door protects against high-speed projectiles and extreme wind pressures.

Mountain Top, PA – According to the National Weather Service, nearly 1,500 confirmed tornadoes touched down throughout the United States in 2017 alone. Combined with some of the most destructive hurricanes on record, along with several tropical storms that made landfall in the United States last year, the total damage from natural disasters reached $306 billion. While the financial impact is shocking, it pales in comparison to the countless lives lost – a human toll that is impossible to put a dollar sign on.

To help combat the alarming increase in natural disasters and protect human lives against deadly winds, flying projectiles and fire, CornellCookson has developed the StormDefender™ Door. This advanced rolling steel door is designed specifically for safe room protection against life-threatening tornados and hurricanes. The StormDefender Door is tested and certified to ICC500-2014 and FEMA P-361 standards. The fire-rated version of this specialty door meets UL10B and UL1784 standards – adding to its life safety credentials.

Its sleek design also allows for installation right into the precast concrete, embedding it into the infrastructure of the building, all while providing protection against high speed projectiles and wind pressure of up to 250 psf. (pounds per square foot). And, occupants do not have to do anything else to secure the doors after activation – they’re locked and ready to defend as soon as they’re down.

A Failsafe Design

StormDefender utilizes CornellCookson’s award winning AlarmGard® Closing System. Its failsafe operation provides building occupants with automatic safe room protection in a variety of extreme weather events. When these life-threatening situations occur, the integrated release device allows doors to close safely without loss of door spring tension – providing maximum protection.

In the event a storm knocks out the power, the door can automatically close its 4”-tall, 12-gauge slats, if desired. These heavy-duty slats are held in the guides with specialized wind locks keeping them in the guides even in the strongest of winds. In addition, sound deadening end locks reduce noise during operation.

This advanced system does not require human interaction after the alarm is cleared as it will reset and reopen automatically. AlarmGard’s compact design makes StormDefender ideal for applications where there is minimal wall clearance, or where design requirements dictate the need to hide the coil box into ceiling construction.

Experience You Can Trust

When it comes to the safety and security of buildings in the face of extreme weather events, architects, designers and facility managers can trust CornellCookson’s rolling door expertise. With more than 175 years of experience, the company has taken countless lessons and applied them to the StormDefender Door. The result is a rolling steel security door that can save lives, save property and provide peace of mind for those in the path of hurricanes and tornadoes.

About CornellCookson

CornellCookson is a manufacturer of rolling doors and grilles. For more information, visit www.cornellcookson.com.