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Bulletproof Blankets selling out in schools; sales exceed manufacturer expectations

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Protein

Banned
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/...ody_n_5479885.html?ncid=fcbklnkushpmg00000063

The alarming rate of school shootings across the country appears to have added an unsettling new item to parents' list of "back to school" items: bulletproof armor for their children. Among such items, the Bodyguard Blanket, a portable, bulletproof covering for children, has seen its sales exceed its manufacturer's expectations in less than two weeks on the market.

Stan Schone, managing partner at manufacturer ProTecht, told The Huffington Post that consumer response to the product has "far exceeded our wildest expectations" in the 10 days that the blanket has been available for purchase.

As reported first in the Oklahoman, the blanket was conceived to protect children during natural disasters. The blanket is made "with the same bullet resistant materials that shield our soldiers in battle," according to one advertisement. In the event of a tornado -- or shooting -- children can wrap themselves in the blanket in a duck-and-cover position to shield from bullets, debris or other projectiles.

"We have been contacted by several private and public schools that have shown great interest and by many concerned parents wanting to purchase them as well," Schone wrote in an email to HuffPost. "Private sales have been very spirited and far greater than anticipated." Schone did not respond to follow-up requests for further details.

With a hefty price tag of $1,000 each, the Bodyguard Blanket poses a considerable expense for public schools, which spent an average of about $11,000 nationally per student in 2010-11, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. While acknowledging that the blankets represent a "significant investment," Schone argued that it's ultimately more cost effective than building safe rooms or tornado shelters.

Steve Walker, who came up with the idea for the blankets, told the Oklahoman, "By no means would we ever say that this is more protective ... but when you have budget constraints, this might be a viable alternative."

"If mass shootings weren't such an integrated part of our culture, you'd think this was an SNL skit or an Onion article," Caroline Moss of Business Insider wrote of the product.

A melodramatic video for Bodyguard appears to capitalize on the disturbing trend of school shootings, warning viewers that "crazed gunmen have entered our schools prepared to kill our children and teachers."

Schone told the Oklahoman that the blanket passed a National Institute of Justice Class 3A test, which rates police body armor against projectiles, "including 9 mm and .22-caliber bullets."

Manufacturers of bulletproof backpacks and school supplies also say they have seen increases in sales in communities after school shootings, despite the general opinion of safety experts that such products are often ineffective and costly.

"We could cut the death rate in half in our schools with things like good student supervision and better drill processes," Michael Dorn, executive director of Safe Havens International, a school safety advisory group, told NBC News.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iaS-ekAwwM4

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TUSR

Banned
"If mass shootings weren't such an integrated part of our culture, you'd think this was an SNL skit or an Onion article," Caroline Moss of Business Insider wrote of the product.

this is depressing
 
The most depressing thing I have seen today. There was a time when I thought of America as a magical place where nothing bad happened and everybody was rich & free

are we living in a rockstar game now?

Unfortunately even GTA Protagonists have the moral capacity not to go after children
 

mjc

Member
The most depressing thing I have seen today. There was a time when I thought of America as a magical place where nothing bad happened and everybody was rich & free

Now we have shootings averaging once a week, the NSA is spying on us, and most of us are poor. America.
 

kiyomi

Member
This kinda just seems like a company simply trying to instil fear into the minds of parents in order to sell their "safe" blankets. These things won't stop someone determined to cause real harm.
 
Don't offer much protection.

As others have said, sad that this is what it has come to in America (Live in UK), Tighter gun controls are needed, this is best time of your life as a child, and you shouldn't need to worry and have this!
 

i_am_ben

running_here_and_there
Doesn't seem to offer much protection. Plus, the bright orange colour would be more likely to grab the attention of the shooter.
 

ampere

Member
I can't be the only one thinking this...but how effective could something like this really be?

Sounds like:
Schone told the Oklahoman that the blanket passed a National Institute of Justice Class 3A test, which rates police body armor against projectiles, "including 9 mm and .22-caliber bullets."

It will likely stop the piercing effect of shots fired on covered parts of the body, but it obviously doesn't cover everything and it can't prevent the powerful impact though it could maybe disperse it. Maybe it's better than nothing in the event of a shooting, but I don't think it's the answer to school shootings... not like the first area to get hit would know it was coming.
 
Damn, that is one sad picture! I'm not saying this is a bad idea, or product, or anything like that. Just purely the picture of a bunch of (what, grade 2? 3?) little kids who are wearing something bulletproof and practising drills to know how to use them... this feels like a place the world should have never gotten to, in any country.
 

ryan13ts

Member
As awful as it is that even such an item should even exist, isn't it kind of pointless since the thing literally just protects a very small area? When I heard blanket, I was thinking an actual blanket that could cover your entire body, not just a small square section with the sides completely exposed.

I guess its more for just "peace of mind" instead of actually being expected to stop a hail of bullets. Such a shitty world we live in that kids would even need something like this to feel safe at school =\
 

marrec

Banned
See! The market fills a need again!

Amazing that we live in such a free and prosperous nation with no limits on how many life-threatening guns we can own.

*eagle cry*
 
"We could cut the death rate in half in our schools with things like good student supervision and better drill processes," Michael Dorn, executive director of Safe Havens International, a school safety advisory group, told NBC News.

might_actually_be_dead.gif


That's it? That's the only thing you can think of that would cut down on gun violence in schools? No other suggestions from a national safety advisory group?
 

Nameless

Member
I suppose it would be useful if you're in a locked classroom and the gunman is firing from through the glass in the door, but unless the thing comes equipped with some sort of cloaking technology I'm not seeing much benefit beyond that.

I do agree that it's a shame this exists, but yay Capitalism, I guess.
 
This kinda just seems like a company simply trying to instil fear into the minds of parents in order to sell their "safe" blankets. These things won't stop someone determined to cause real harm.

Temper your cynicism, these would be really effective against stray bullets. It's better than nothing, at least.
 
:\

I remember the thing I worried about most in school, was how good the sega genesis was doing, in preparation for that days lunch room table console wars debate...
 

collige

Banned
Those "blankets" look way too small to actually protect anyone in an actual shootout. It is a cool piece of technology.
 

DBT85

Member
So sad that kids in war torn countries need this kind of thing, and that their parents think they need it. Someone drop some freedom on them.
 
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