Buckeye Reporter

The Ohio Department of Public Safety has announced plans to purchase two shoot houses for training armed school staff, law enforcement, and other first responders on active-threat response. The Ohio Controlling Board has approved the department's request to waive bids and allocate $78,028.75 for the custom mobile modular shoot houses.

According to the department's bid-waiver request, the shoot houses will be used to provide live fire and scenario-based training as part of advanced initial and annual requalification trainings on active-threat response. The Ohio Mobile Training Team (OMTT) will oversee the training, which is mandated by Ohio law under the Ohio School Safety and Crisis Center umbrella.

The OMTT's model curriculum, known as Armed School Staff Essential Training (ASSET), includes a 24-hour certification program and an annual eight-hour requalification program. Governor Mike DeWine and state public safety director Andy Wilson have also requested advanced training for school personnel to enhance their response capabilities.

The purchase of the shoot houses from Kontek Industries will enable the OMTT to provide realistic training scenarios both indoors and outdoors. The shoot houses feature a design that allows for rapid deployment, reconfigurable rooms, hallways, and doors, as well as weatherproof capabilities to simulate various training environments.

The Ohio Department of Public Safety is seeking a waiver for the purchase as Kontek Industries is the sole distributor of the shoot house products. The shoot houses will facilitate training sessions regardless of weather conditions, providing a versatile option for conducting exercises in different settings.

The Ohio Controlling Board, responsible for overseeing state budget adjustments and fiscal activities, granted the approval for the purchase due to the unique nature of the MMSH products offered by Kontek Industries. The shoot houses will play a crucial role in enhancing training opportunities for armed school staff and first responders in Ohio.

The move to acquire the shoot houses underscores the state's commitment to ensuring preparedness and effective response to active threats in educational settings and other public environments.