I am a trustee of a Village hall where we have in the last year replaced our double fire doors.  During one of the recent  storms both doors were torn open and are now US.  There is some uncertainty whether the doors had previously been "jimmied", however our insurance policy is covering the damage costs.

I am looing for some impartial advice - the doors have a bar operated opening mechanism that appears to operate a single lock tongue connecting the two doors.  There is also a twist lock on both doors that when operated drive pins into retainers within the door frame.  The twist locks retract when the bar(s) are pushed from within the hall. 

The issue is that hall hirers tend not to operate the twist locks leaving the top and bottom of the doors loose enough for a lever/crowbar.

I am not expert i these matters but I have not see this type of fastening before and although it meets fire regs it is not particularly vandal/regularly proof.

 

Our contractor is pushing to replace the doors with an an identical system, are there any pointers/alternatives that  would overcome this apparent design flaw

 

As a place of assembly you require panic proof fastenings (push bars) as a matter of course (& have done for over a century) How many people can the hall accommodate?

There are high security versions of panic fastenings not requiring people to remember to operate secondary fastenings, also as part of a good opening and closing management system these doors can be chained whilst the premises is unoccupied (if you have a caretaker who opens & closes up for hirers this would work) 

.https://www.assaabloy.com/uk/en/solutions/products/hardware-for-doors-and-windows/panic-and-emergency-exit-hardware/high-security-panic-and-emergency-hardware