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Bulletproof desk-maker targets new audience: Politicians in Ottawa

Screengrab from LifeGuard Structures promotional video.

You’ve got to admire the entrepreneurial spirit of Stephen Noon.

Noon is the proprietor of Paratus Emergency Preparedness Ltd., a Vancouver based-company that markets a bulletproof safe-room and earthquake shelter built right inside your desk.

His customer base for the bulletproof cubby which includes a sliding door had been used in the retail industry.

Following the recent terrorist Ottawa, he now has a new target market: He wants to sell these desks to Parliamentarians so they have a place to be secure in case there’s another unfortunate attack that forces them into a lock-down.

"We didn’t think that bulletproof desks in Canada was really something worth pushing until the events in Ottawa on [October 22nd]," he told Yahoo Canada News in a telephone interview.

"It really changed our thinking to suddenly, instead of pursuing earthquake desks in British Columbia, we’re primarily now [focused] on these."

Noon has taken out an ad in the Hill Times touting these 800 pound, six-sided steel and kelvar desk which include space for oxygen bottles, food, water and even a “poop bag” that range in price between $9,000 and $12,000. He says that bulletproof safe rooms can even be built within existing structures.

[raj tweet]

He’s been doing some direct marketing on Twitter, suggesting that the desks would be ideal for Canadian consulate offices around the world.

[baird tweet]

"We have 260 [consulate] offices in 180 countries," he said.

"Some of these places like Tel Aviv, and Lebanon and Cairo, you’d think something like this would be a no-brainer."

[vimeo video]

Noon says that he’s already spoken to the the prime minister’s protection detail and senate protective services about his products.

He also references the story of Prime Minister Stephen Harper hiding in a closet during the last incident and says that Canada can do better.

"We’re a smart enough country to have better plans in place than shoving our head of state in a closet because nobody is prepared," he said.

"That really is the crux of it. We have the intelligence to plan for these things and be aware that there’s a potential risk. So let’s be one step ahead."