High School Shelter

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Since 2013, there have been roughly 300 school shootings in the United States. Over forty fatalities occurred in a tornado that passed through Alabama in 2011. Once a month Spotsylvania County Schools practice safety drills regarding natural disasters, fires, and intruders. After the Douglas High School shooting in Florida, two counties in Oklahoma became the first school systems to install the bulletproof, weather proof shelters created by Shelter in Place. These shelters would be useful in Freedom Middle School because they could be used as a quiet environment for students to learn, would protect students and staff from inclement weather or natural disasters, as well as intruders.
One benefit of having the shelters, is their multiple uses. Some teachers may see them as a burden, but they can also serve educational purposes and are customizable in size and shape. Teachers can sit students in the shelter to give them a quiet place to study, catch up on work, take tests, receive extra help, and read. Having this peaceful environment can allow students to concentrate and get their work completed without the pressures a multi person classroom can add. Rather than placing children in hallways where they may be at …show more content…

The company that made the shelters, replicated conditions of an EF-5 tornado, a 9.5 earthquake, and a category five hurricane force winds, meeting or exceeding FEMA strength standards. In the case of a power outage, the shelter has back up lighting, air filtration, and security cameras that allow for safe monitoring for the teacher and students. The emergency buckets and bags that are in each classroom can be stored in one place, in the shelter. Teachers can also store water and other supplies in the seating area built into the shelter. However, the safety of the shelter can be used for more than just inclement

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