Three Steps to Efficiency

By Clark Ehman (Freshman), Cora Myers (Sophomore)

Now that the doors open at 7:05, a majority of students enter the security line in the 25 minutes between 7:05 and 7:30. As mentioned in an article published in the last issue, this change in time frame has caused security lines to lengthen. At the Eagle Times, we have collected and analyzed data, and would like to present the three variables affecting security line wait times as well as ways to minimize them.

Officer efficiency

In the high school lines, the security guards check around 10 bags every minute. This however varies. The amount of bags checked per minute is impacted by outside factors. We noticed at least 25% of the bags put up on the table were not unzipped. When a bag is not unzipped, 20 seconds are then wasted as the security guard unzips it. In an interview, one security guard said, “I feel like we have a great efficiency, depending on the time of day, and time of the students.” Efficiency will likely not improve by much, but little things like unzipping our bags will lower inconveniences on the officers.

Preparation

The single way to speed up the process is for students to be ready when it comes to their turn to put their bags up on the table. The security guards can’t move at a faster pace unless we the students understand our part. This includes unzipping our bags, putting our phones in our bags (as opposed to sliding them past the metal detectors), and maintaining an alert mindset.

The students

Students don’t want to wait in line, that’s a given. But, the consequences of those feelings have been inefficient and overwhelming. As people flood into the building at 7:05 and herd into the school one on top of the other, it doesn’t make the line move any faster. In fact, it slows the line down. While the security guards expressed that they like the 7:05 door opening because, “when we would let the kids in earlier, there would be a lot of incidents going on throughout the building that we wouldn’t be able to get to, ” the cost of interior calm is cue chaos. The best ways to minimize this are simple: don’t stampede, don’t push, and stay in line. 

If you get anything from this article it should be this: The security line wait times depend on us. There are so many things we as students can do to streamline our entry. Whether we unzip our bags, are alert, or simply proceed in an orderly fashion, wait times could be decreased dramatically. But it is our responsibility to make this happen. Will  we step up to the call?