by Shane Henson — September 25, 2013—There is no such thing as “too safe” when it comes to protecting students and giving staff the tools they need to better protect themselves. Recognizing this, the University of Maryland Eastern Shore announced that it will be purchasing 200 bulletproof whiteboards manufactured by Hardwire LLC to form a first line of defense in case of an active-shooter incident.
“UMES is the first university to adopt the bulletproof whiteboard as a critical layer of its student and faculty security system,” said Hardwire founder George Tunis.
Tunis launched his high-tech company in 2000 with high-tensile strength, twisted-steel wiring for reinforcement of buildings and infrastructure. After America’s military was mobilized for the war on terrorism, Hardwire began “to work on armor protection for ground vehicles, aircraft, boats and personnel.” The bulletproof whiteboard is a direct derivative of this same military armor and is now available for schools, he said.
UMES faculty members will be issued the 18-inch by 20-inch bulletproof whiteboards for use in their classrooms. Like first-generation whiteboards, they can serve as portable writing tablets during delivery of lectures and labs.
Tunis equates his company’s newest product as being “similar to a fire extinguisher, which buys time for the fire department. The Bulletproof Whiteboard is a tool that buys time until the police arrive in an active-shooter incident.”
University officials see the technology as another proactive step among many the university has taken to provide a safe learning environment. “Classroom safety is not a pleasant topic,” UMES President Juliette B. Bell said. “Unfortunately, campus violence is a reality that we have to be prepared for, and this technology allows us to be proactive rather than reactive.”
