Abstract: Opening of a door, such as an emergency exit door, is delayed by encumbering a security device, such as for example a latch bolt, with the task of throttling a hydraulic fluid through a circuit, which circuit includes a normally open valve held closed by a solenoid. When the solenoid is de-energized, the circuit is opened allowing the security device to move so that the door can be opened. The solenoid is controlled by an electrical timing circuit which delays de-energization of the solenoid. The timing circuit is started by a switch mounted to be operated by movement of the latch bolt. Preferably in a situation where there are a plurality of doors, doors proximate to one another are delayed by the same electronic timing circuit. In a preferred embodiment, the electronic timing circuit is set to de-energize the solenoid at a time subsequent to the delay resulting from throttling the fluid.