The Future of Safety with Ballistic Barrier Furniture

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The key to staying safe in any crisis situation is being prepared. Situations that involve an active shooter are no exception to that rule. While active shooter training is a critical first step toward avoiding a disaster, many organizations are taking the next step by supplementing training with ballistic barriers that provide an added layer of protection.

Traditionally, ballistic barriers have been incorporated into structural and architectural design, such as the bullet-resistant shields that protect staff in the lobbies of federal buildings.

For organizations looking to retrofit facilities or deploy barriers in crowded spaces such as offices or classrooms, structural solutions can be cost prohibitive if not impossible. Thankfully, innovations in the area of mobile ballistic barriers have resulted in flexible and affordable solutions that can be applied efficiently and effectively exactly where needed.

Placing ballistic barriers where they are needed most

PS Furniture specializes in flexible furniture solutions. As the rise in gun violence in the US created a demand for enhanced safety measures in spaces including offices, schools, hospitals, and houses of worship, PS Furniture responded with a revolutionary product that allows for a common piece of furniture to become a bullet resistant shield in seconds.

The patent-pending Revolution Shield™ Flip-Top Table combines the technology of Amulet® Ballistic Barriers with a lightweight table and modesty panel combination that quickly converts to a bullet-resistant shield. Revolution Shield can function anywhere a table is useful in unsecured public or private spaces, can be activated with one hand, transforming into a protective wall composed of the table top and also a bullet-resistant modesty panel.

“Our ultra lightweight table technology makes Revolution Shield™ easy to move and relocate, which could be critically useful during an active shooter event,” says Roger Clark, Executive Vice President of Business Development for PS Furniture.

The ballistic barrier technology incorporated in Revolution Shield™ delivers NIJ IIIA and UL752 handgun protection, which means it is capable of blocking bullets fired from handguns ranging from .22 caliber to .44 Magnum, with multi-hit, non-ricochet capability. The tables are available in two sizes: 5 feet by 24 inches and 6 feet by 24 inches.

The typical protocol for an active shooter situation involves evacuating if possible and taking cover in a secure location when evacuating is too risky. Guidance provided by the US Department of Homeland Security advises people who are in an office or similar space to stay there and secure the door. For those who are in a hallway when an active shooter situation arises, Homeland Security says the best option is to get into a room where a door can be secured and find a spot that provides “protection if shots are fired in your direction.”

“The introduction of handgun bullet-resistant furniture offers an invisible layer of protection that people can count on as they go about their day,” explains Clark. “When flipped down, the table becomes a wall of defense.”

Developing a defensive strategy that delivers

Tragically, schools have been a regular target of gun violence in recent years. While the COVID-19 pandemic slowed down the rate of incidents for a short time due to the shift to remote learning, recent reports confirm 16 school shootings in the US during the first nine months of 2021, resulting in 18 injuries and six deaths. Since 2018, the total number of school shootings in the US is 82.

Drills for students and lockdown plans can make a difference, but the variabilities and mayhem inherent in active shooter situations make ballistic barrier protection one added measure for defense plans.

Revolution Shield™ looks and acts like any flip-top laminated table, but it stops bullets fired from a handgun and can easily be moved/relocated. PS Furniture recommends a discussion with security consultants on how Revolution Shield might best be deployed.

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