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

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Nearly 200 school shootings have resulted in injury or death in the U.S. since 2018, prompting Ohio’s Department of Public Safety to equip school staff with specialized firearms training. Advocates believe the training will enhance schools’ ability to protect students during shootings. The state recently started providing close-quarters firearms training for public school staff.

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In 2022, Ohio passed legislation allowing school personnel to carry firearms in classrooms after completing 24 hours of instruction and at least four hours of scenario-based or simulated training exercises. Previously, the state required staff to complete the same 700 hours of firearms training as law enforcement or security officers to carry within a school.

The Ohio Mobile Training Team, responsible for training armed school staff, requested $78,000 from the state for two custom “mobile modular shoot houses” for initial and annual recertification training. Training groups can use the units outside on live fire ranges and indoors with simulation rounds. These units aim to realistically simulate active shooter scenarios in school settings.

Jay Carey, spokesperson for the Ohio Department of Public Safety, emphasized the importance of realistic training to The Guardian.

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

However, a recent Gallup poll shows that 73% of teachers oppose carrying guns in schools. 58% said they believe it would make schools less safe. Only 18% of teachers polled were willing to carry a firearm in school buildings. Currently, 67 school districts, mostly in rural areas with slower law enforcement response times, allow staff to carry firearms.

The purchase of the shoot houses has not been finalized yet. Carey mentioned that the units could be incorporated into teacher firearm training as early as this summer.

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[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.