School districts across North Texas continue to search for ways to protect students in an active shooter situation.

One of the latest innovations in school safety is a bulletproof safe-room.

The elevator-sized shelters can be installed in classrooms and fit nearly three dozen elementary school students and a teacher inside.

"We've designed this to stop every type of weapon that has been used in a mass shooting," Jim Haslem, CEO of Utah-based Shelter-In-Place, said.

The shelters come equipped with double-steeled walls - the same material used to build military tanks They can withstand bullets from handguns, assault weapons and shotgun blasts.

Each shelter also comes outfitted with panoramic view cameras, a circulation system and backup power.

Carroll ISD is considering having the shelters installed at some of its elementary schools.

"The idea of having a shelter-in-place scenario is a benefit, keeping the kids out of the corridors and keeping the kids from going to other places," John Haugen, a facilities planning consultant with Carroll ISD, said.



In about 30 seconds, nearly 33 elementary school-aged children and their teacher can file into the structure to create an impenetrable barrier between the shooter and potential victims.

The shelters could fit about 17 high school students.



Haugen said the shelters make the grade when it comes to protection.

"You're taking all the components of safety and security and you're basically putting them into one isolated spot within the building for each classroom," he said. "Everything that I have seen about that shelter is you're not getting in unless someone lets you in."

Haugen estimates the shelters would cost about $20,000 per classroom. He said the district would like to be able to connect two rooms to one shelter if possible.

"We're looking at every way we can possibly look at to create a safe learning environment. This shelter is one of the components we are considering," Haugen said. "I wouldn't have any problem being inside of it while it was being shot at based on what i witnessed."