Three years ago a man walked into Marjory Stoneman Douglas High school in Parkland, Florida with an armed gun. According to the Washington Post, he opened fire killing seventeen people and injured seventeen others. More such cases have happened a lot in the United States. Some people live in fear and anxiety because you never know when it might happen next. It’s because of such incidences that a man named Todd Drummond together with his son have designed a desk to save children during a shootout.
The “Defender safe Space Desk” as they call it is made using ballistic materials. It is designed with net-like behaviors such that it can catch a bullet and protect a child hiding inside the desk. It comes with a secret compartment that children can crawl into and lock themselves in there in case of danger. The desk can withstand the impact of a bullet while protecting the child inside. Drummond says it is tested and it can withstand the impact similar to a ball going fifty-five miles per hour.
Once inside, there is a handle above your head to close it and prevent someone from opening it from outside. The desk weighs 130 pounds. It is not easy to move around especially for children. It is approximated to cost $1800 per piece. Drummond says that you cannot put a price on a child’s life, and he is ready to give out the desks free of charge to schools who cannot afford them through his charity.
Drummond has served in law enforcement for over 20 years. According to WLOX, he says that he has a passion for protecting children. His inspiration to make this desk was to create an opportunity for children to help themselves in a potentially dangerous situation. He says that the desk can also protect children from bullies, assault, and other dangerous situations by ducking behind it and locking themselves in.
As a retired law enforcement officer, hearing that children were shot at school was devastating for Drummond. He set up a charity called Defend our Children to help stop school shootings. To support this cause, people can use this charity since it was created for this purpose. There is an option to donate, use their GoFundMe page, or shop for charity via AmazonSmile. The design team is looking to develop this desk more, to make it easy to produce and work with. Drummond also says that a desk that protects teachers is in the works.
Sources: washingtonpost.com, wlox.com, doccharity.com.