Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
and it is filled with cement once it is in place. It is also movable and may
be deployed to other threat areas as necessary. For added security, gates
should ideally be backed up by a hydraulically operated steel wedge (see
Exhibit 12.8).
Exhibit 12.8
Hydraulic Wedge by Delta Scientific
Photo courtesy of Delta Scientific.
These systems have been used by extremely sensitive governmental
facilities for decades and will, quite literally, stop a Mack truck. They have
been rigorously tested and proven to be effective. This type of barricade
will meet the demands of one of the worst-case scenarios: a bomb-laden
truck, like a cement mixer, attempting to crash the perimeter at high speed.
There is no way that an attack like that will be successful as long as the
wedges are up and operational.
Another area of importance is the issue of access control. Simply speak-
ing, this refers to making sure that only the right people are admitted into
the facility. Prior to 9/11, there was very little effort made to properly
screen individuals entering corporate buildings. Even in major corpora-
tions, anyone can walk right past the security desk and into the elevators
without being challenged. After the 9/11 attacks, many businesses made
the effort to limit access into their buildings. Unfortunately, as the events
of 9/11 recede into memory, many companies have lapsed into their ear-
lier practices and no longer follow appropriate access limiting procedures.
Controlling unauthorized access to corporate facilities needs to be
strictly enforced for many reasons apart from concerns about terrorism.
For example, criminal behavior is a far more common occurrence than a
terrorist attack. Property theft, robbery, sexual assault, corporate espionage,
