Ohio buying ‘shoot houses’ to train armed school staff for active shooters

[LAUREN TAYLOR]

THE U.S. HAS SEEN NEARLY 200 SCHOOL SHOOTINGS RESULTING IN INJURY OR DEATH SINCE 2018 — AND OHIO’S DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY IS TAKING STEPS TO PREPARE SCHOOL STAFF WITH SPECIALIZED FIREARMS TRAINING. ADVOCATES SAY IT WILL EMPOWER SCHOOLS TO PROTECT STUDENTS IN THE EVENT OF A SCHOOL SHOOTING. THE STATE’S RECENT INVESTMENT FOCUSES ON TRAINING UNITS PROVIDING CLOSE-QUARTERS FIREARMS TRAINING FOR PUBLIC SCHOOL EMPLOYEES.

IN 2022 OHIO PASSED LEGISLATION ALLOWING SCHOOL PERSONNEL TO CARRY GUNS IN THE CLASSROOM AFTER 24 HOURS OF INSTRUCTION AND AT LEAST FOUR HOURS OF SCENARIO-BASED OR SIMULATED TRAINING EXERCISES. 

PREVIOUSLY, STAFF HAD TO UNDERGO THE SAME 700 HOURS OF FIREARMS TRAINING AS A LAW ENFORCEMENT OR SECURITY OFFICER BEFORE THEY COULD CARRY INSIDE A SCHOOL.

THE OHIO MOBILE TRAINING TEAM — IN CHARGE OF TRAINING ARMED SCHOOL STAFF — REQUESTED 78-THOUSAND DOLLARS FROM THE STATE FOR TWO CUSTOM “MOBILE MODULAR SHOOT HOUSES” TO PROVIDE INITIAL AND ANNUAL REQUALIFICATION TRAINING FOR STAFF INTERESTED IN CARRYING INSIDE PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THESE MOBILE UNITS ARE DESIGNED TO BE USED OUTDOORS ON LIVE FIRE RANGES AND INDOORS UTILIZING SIMULATION ROUNDS.

JAY CAREY, FROM THE OHIO DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY, TOLD  ‘THE GUARDIAN’ THE MOVABLE UNITS HELP SIMULATE REALISTIC SITUATIONS, SUCH AS MOVING THROUGH A SCHOOL HALLWAY DURING AN ACTIVE SHOOTER EVENT, OPENING DOORS AND SCANNING THROUGH WINDOWS, ADDING:

[JAY CAREY]

“The more realistic we can make the training, the better prepared armed school staff will be to respond to an active shooter.”

[LAUREN TAYLOR]

HOWEVER ACCORDING TO THE MOST RECENT GALLUP POLL — 73-PERCENT OF TEACHERS OPPOSE CARRYING GUNS IN SCHOOL. 58% SAY CARRYING GUNS IN SCHOOLS WOULD MAKE SCHOOLS LESS SAFE AND ONLY 18% WOULD BE WILLING TO CARRY A GUN IN SCHOOL BUILDINGS.

67 SCHOOL DISTRICTS CURRENTLY ALLOW STAFF TO CARRY FIREARMS –MOST OF THEM IN RURAL AREAS WHERE LAW ENFORCEMENT RESPONSE IS NOTICEABLY SLOWER. 

THE SHOOT HOUSE PURCHASE IS NOT YET FINALIZED BUT CAREY SAYS THAT UNITS MIGHT BE INTEGRATED INTO TEACHER FIREARM TRAINING AS SOON AS THIS SUMMER.