Experience has shown that that once a lockdown warning is given, all students can be secured in the shelter in a minute or less.

• The space needed depends on the number of students in the classroom (including a teacher or staff member) and the grade level of the students

• We generally recommend about 1.3 square ft/person for grades Pre-K thru grade 6 and 1.8 square ft/person for grades 7-12, including a teacher or staff member.

• The size of a particular shelter is usually selected based on the maximum allowable occupancy of a given classroom rather than the actual enrollment of the classroom.

• The shelters are made using ¼” American-made NIJ Ballistic Level III steel which is a military-grade steel specially heat-treated to resist not only all handguns and shotguns, but even semi-automatic weapons like AK-47 and AR-15 rifles (high caliber as well as armor piercing rounds).

• The steel used in our NIJ Ballistic Level III shelters has been tested by the U.S. Army Aberdeen Test Center and met or surpassed the minimum required V50 ballistic limit protection criteria for Class 1 armor.

Currently, no organization or governmental agency including FEMA publishes guidelines or standards for active shooter protection shelters.

• Yes, they have been tested and certified by the National Wind Institute at Texas Tech University to meet the requirements of both FEMA 320/361 and ICC-500 standards for storm shelters and shelter components

• The above standards relate to wind speeds of up to 250mph (or an EF5 tornado which is 200+ mph)

• The steel we use is certified by the Department of Defense. It is Ballistic Level III, capable of stopping shotguns, handguns and high caliber assault rifles.
   
• The National Wind Institute of Texas Tech issued a certificate for our shelter including the window in the door and the bolts used in the shelter.  Our shelter passed both the FEMA 320/361 and the ICC-500 standard for storm shelters.

• FEMA does publish “design and construction guidance” for community safe rooms for tornadoes and hurricanes known as FEMA P-361.  The Hide-Away shelter meets the impact standards for storm shelters and components stipulated in FEMA P-361.

• None of the design and construction guidance published by FEMA is mandatory unless funding for the shelter is provided by FEMA.

• The shelters are not designed or equipped to be a haven in case of fire. 

• As with any fire emergency, following local evacuation protocol is necessary.

• There are vents located on three sides of the shelter, at the top and bottom of each section.

• These are protected from any possible intrusion but still afford air circulation.

• Ventilation fans, although not essential, can be installed if desired (by others).

• Each stationary MOD (module) stands about 78 tall and measures about 32” wide by 35” deep. The modular design allows for different configurations, such as, cube-shaped, various rectangular shapes, L-shapes and so forth.   The configuration and number of MODs (modules) determine the final size of the shelter. They are fully adaptable and customizable to the capacity of each classroom.

• Based on the generally recommended classroom space of 49 sq.ft./student in elementary schools and 64 sq.ft./student in secondary schools, the Hide-Away shelter will reduce the available classroom space by less than 5%

• Since these shelters are designed for immediate protection from active shooters and tornadoes, the expected time spent inside is relatively brief, from just a few minutes up to perhaps an hour or two at most.  Therefore, plumbing is not necessary, would increase the cost considerably and take up valuable space.
• Lighting can be provided using battery-powered LED products. It is usually best for schools to select and provide their own lighting
• Standard high-voltage electrical service (115vac) is not recommended since it could cause an electrical hazard to persons inside the shelter.

• 10-12 weeks from date of order to delivery of first batch of usually about 10 shelters
• Subsequent batches can be released within a week or so
• For high quantity orders, expedited manufacturing methods are employed

• We can recommend our preferred experienced vendor
• We also offer to train your local crew/contractor either at our factory in Harrisonville, MO or at the installation location
• A crew of 3 persons is usually sufficient to install each shelter which typically takes 2-4 hours per unit depending on the shelter size

• Each shelter arrives palletized and is assembled panel by panel.
• The panels bolt together and are attached to a concrete floor (special anchors provided) with a minimum thickness of 4 inches for indoor installations.
• The optimum location is against a concrete wall.

• Customizable – can be made to suit any classroom layout whether inline against a wall, in a corner (L-shaped), or as a square or rectangle of any dimension.
• Adaptable – size can later be enlarged or reduced to accommodate changing needs of classroom
• Moveable – bolt together design allows for use in another classroom or building at a later time
• Easy to Install – Typically takes 3-4 persons about 2-4 hours per shelter to install
• Ultra-Strong Door Design – utilizes a 1” diameter full-length steel hinge rod and three 1” diameter lock bars. This ensures that the door integrity will not be compromised, allowing safe exiting
• Material - made with military-grade ballistic steel which prevents penetration of all handguns, shotguns and high-powered semi-automatic rifles
• Windows - available with a bullet-proof window in each door to allow observation outside shelter and prevent claustrophobia
• Out-swinging door – much stronger design prevents door from being blown in causing injury, easier for wheelchair access, allows more people to enter quickly
• Wall Strength - wind impact testing resulted in a maximum ¾” indent which is essential to prevent possible injury to someone inside shelter (although FEMA guidelines allow for a full 3” indent which could actually cause a fatal injury).
• Made in USA – using American manufactured military-grade steel
• No Maintenance – only moving part is the door, no electrical, hydraulic or mechanical parts, therefore, nothing to malfunction,  break down or need replacement
• No Operating Cost – shelter purchase is a one-time, closed-end expenditure