Wood Door Explained

We stand by the motto: Train how you fight. In every training scenario, when closest to the real thing, will benefit the trainee far more than a simulation where extraneous substitutes must be acknowledged and then ignored to move on and through the evolution. When training for mastery in any skill set, when one can identify and replicate as many variables as possible to practice, the higher the value in the experience, and the greater preparation is instilled. Practice DOES NOT make perfect. PERFECT practice makes perfect. So rather than a simulation, why not train on a prop that actually IS the real thing? And that real prop just happens to last for….25,000 repetitions?

With that, our competitors use steel doors. We use wood. One might assume that wood isn’t as durable as steel, that steel lasts longer and saves money. But would you prefer to save money on a door that doesn’t provide any applicable, realistic feedback to what you will experience on shift or would you rather spend the same amount and get a training door that actually looks, flexes, feels, and provides the same feedback like a door you will experience in your area of operation?

Steel vs. Wood — So how long will it last?

The photo below shows a door we just picked up to get an overhaul on its components, including the wood door that needed its C6 Academy Armor Lock Mechanism updated. It was still in good working order but the number of repetitions on it plus a new fire academy class starting next month was the motivation to service it. Shown below, the Catalyst Force Entry Door - Stand Alone was used at a fire academy in Northern California. In between classes it traveled from station to station for training for over 5 years, being used almost daily. Inquiring with the training captain on site at the fire academy, we were curious how many repetitions the door received during that time. Piecing together academies, class size, reps per student during each class, number of stations traveled, number of personnel, training days, expectations of training with the door onsite, the rough numbers he pieced together with a calculator in our hands tallying it up:

It was breached over 25,000 times.

Also, it is important to note that the door below was stored outside and was not yet upgraded to our new Marine Grade seven layer laminate wood.

So the big question to ask regardless of budget or materials:

Are you training in a simulator controlled and approved by your finance department filled with products manufactured to maximize profit margins or is your goal to create a training environment that reflects your real life area of operation and instills the confidence in your team to get through every door every time?

For those curious about the maintenance service we provided on the door above, here’s the AFTER photo, just before delivery. The new C6 Armor Academy Lock Break Mechanism has been upgraded in the last 5 years to fully cover and protect the door’s edge for even greater durability and increased lifespan.