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Post by shiddymunkie on Nov 12, 2013 2:49:46 GMT
The media makes celebrities out of those who commit school shootings, and as a result, they've become the method of choice for today's "disturbed" to leave their mark on the world. School shootings are now it's own brand of mayhem; and unfortunately there are people out their 'drinking the koolaid', as it were. But what's a parent to do to help protect their children from this unlikely, yet all too common tragedy? BulletBlocker and other companies have developed a backpack insert that supposedly provides NIJ IIIa bullet resistance. These inserts are about the size of a clipboard, less than a pound in weight, and start at $99. So, in your opinion, is this a beneficial investment for concerned parents, or can that money be better spent some other way? Would this be effective in a school shooting or does it only give a sense of security? |
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Post by Gingerbread Man on Nov 12, 2013 11:14:59 GMT
My take is you'd need to train the kid to actually deploy the backpack as well but that's not a big hurdle. Also, you'd have to seriously live in a pretty high crime area to need one and be generally involved with those activities. People that are not involved in gang activities generally are hit by bullets meant for others. In that case, unless it hits the backpack, it's just weight in the bag.
Personally, I take my kids of martial arts and discuss what to do when they feel threatened. Skills over gear but there are some things skills can't do.
IMO
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Post by omegaman on Nov 12, 2013 13:10:55 GMT
Hmmm...this is a hard one, because I can see reasonable arguments for both sides. When I went back to college after serving I was still a bit, well, "jumpy", and carried a level IV stand alone in my backpack; figuring it was better than nothing. However, I have a good deal of training and some tactical awareness to where that was not a horrible alternative to being disarmed. I will say, as I settled back into civilian life, I stopped carrying the plate (doesn't matter now, I done graduated).
Now, for a child? I don't see this as a reasonable nor effective solution to an active shooter situation. Gingerbread makes the point on skillz, which I agree with. If this eases the mind of an overly paranoid parent, then, eh, to each his own...I get it.
For the $$$, I'd start a campaign/committee for armed guards at the school and start community awareness about real security and threat mitigation...that doesn't assume the trampling of constitutional rights. I'm sure the New Haven school was a zero tolerance gun free zone, worked out well for those that followed the rules, huh? Lastly, and I don't have kids yet, but, there's always home schooling and that's looking like the better alternative more and more.
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Post by NamelessStain on Nov 12, 2013 13:14:51 GMT
I think it only gives the feeling of security. I just see too many things that can go wrong, one being the child crying from the impact and alerting the shooter that he/she is still alive.
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Post by shiddymunkie on Nov 13, 2013 2:56:00 GMT
Very interesting. I went back and forth myself, but here are my thoughts so far. It seems that the goal of this type of assailant is to "shoot as many people as quickly as possible". As such, and because these shooters tend to have little-to-no actual firearms training, I'd expect that most fatal hits would be center mass. With that being considered, a bulletproof plate in a backpack makes sense to me. People usually move away from the source of danger, meaning this plate would be between them and the shooter (and covering a decent portion of their center mass). It could also be held in front of them like a shield or worn in the front like a vest depending on the circumstance. It's no comparison to actual body armor, of course, but no one can honestly expect their kid to wear actual body armor to school every day. This, on the other hand, seems very doable.
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Post by Browning35 on Nov 15, 2013 4:30:35 GMT
When my son goes to school I intend on getting him one if that says anything. More importantly I'll try to teach him how to move away and then run from an active shooter, to hide if need be and some basic first aid. It's one tool in the toolbox and it could save his life, so he'll be getting one. Even a couple textbooks will stop some calibers though. For instance reloaders have used phone books as a cheap means of testing loads instead of using expensive ballistic gel for years. With most pistol calibers they'll either make it into the second book if it's thin (the case below) or it won't make it out of a thick book. It'll be found in the far end of it.   (Not my pics, from google) Then again it might just blast on through the books. Just saying. |
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Post by Ten Eight on Nov 16, 2013 1:28:38 GMT
I would think if kids are going to be carrying inserts, they need to be very light, thin, and durable. Soft armor would get torn up quickly from books being taken in and out of a backpack repeatedly, unless the insert was housed in a laptop sleeve or something. Kiddy backpacks are already stuffed with too many books, so a thick plate might take up room that is otherwise needed. Light weight, pistol rated, and durable plates are the answer. I like this one. |
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Post by shiddymunkie on Nov 16, 2013 3:50:20 GMT
They say the basic BulletBlocker insert is less than 12oz (not sure what size that is, I assume the small 6" x 12" plate). If that assumption is right, then their 10" x 15" would be at 25 oz, which is the same weight/size ratio as the DKX 10"x12" plate at 20 oz. Like you were saying, it would probably be better if these inserts were somehow isolated from the rest of the bag (laptop sleeve, or I've even seen a secondary "main" compartment with its own zipper).
Looks like pretty tough stuff.
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