The bulletproof Bodyguard Blanket is said to offer temporary shelter from natural disasters and mass shootings.
An Oklahoma company has designed a bullet-resistant blanket that's designed to protect children and teachers in the event of a school shooting.
The Bodyguard Blanket, made by ProTecht, is a bulletproof 5/16-inch pad that the company says is made from the same materials used by the U.S. military.
Steve Walker, a podiatrist who conceptualized the blanket, told The Oklahoman that the idea came to him after two tragedies: the shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School, and the tornadoes in Oklahoma. He said the idea was to "stop that blunt-force trauma when that rubble is falling down on a child."
The company estimates that the blanket can provide protection against 90% of all weapons that have been used in school shootings in the U.S.
The blanket has straps that can be fastened around users like a backpack. The lightweight pad is made of a high-density plastic used for ballistic armor. The material can also protect users from nails, shards of metal, and other sharp objects.
After testing the blanket at a shooting range, the makers said it provided protection against bullets from a 12-gauge buckshot, a .22-caliber, and a 9 mm, among others.
