Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
RESIDENTIAL SAFE HAVEN
Another consideration may be the installation of a secure area within the
home in case of a determined attempt at forced entry. Embassies, con-
sulates, and many private facilities maintain a “safe haven” within the
premises. It is the most secure location in the building and is designed to
withstand attempts at forced entry for long enough to hold out until help
arrives. The access points need to be reinforced and able to withstand con-
siderable abuse. The door to this room must be strongly reinforced at the
least. A better option is to use a door specifically designed for this pur-
pose. The Rav-Bariah Company makes a line of excellent doors that are
rated to withstand attempts at forced entry from 5 to 60 minutes. Some
of these doors, such as the Forced Entry Models 9310 or 9315, are high-
security steel doors rated to withstand a 60-minute attempt at forced entry.
The door shown on the right in Exhibit 6.1 is the best choice for secur-
ing such a safe haven. This is the Rav-Bariah Forced Entry Model 9315.
It also provides ballistic protection against rounds fired from military
rifles. The construction is of reinforced steel, and it has a high-security four-
way lock. It also may be ordered with various accessories, such as a high-
security Mul-T-Lock cylinder, double cylinder protector, and protective cover
plates and handles. Remember that the walls of the safe haven must also
be reinforced. There are many ways to accomplish this. Construction with
steel mesh will make it difficult for attackers to cut their way into the room.
Steel plates or Kevlar will provide ballistic protection against rounds fired
through the wall. Another very effective way of constructing a ballistic
barrier is to fill the wall with common “pea” gravel. Members of the Irish
Republican Army used this technique quite effectively while fighting
the British in Northern Ireland. They filled ammunition cans, roughly
the size of a large shoebox, with gravel and stacked them up to form a
barrier. Testing by the Federal Bureau of Investigation ballistics-testing
laboratory proved this technique's effectiveness. An eight-inch barrier of
pea gravel provides protection against high-powered rifle rounds. The
densely packed and irregularly shaped gravel is as effective as many com-
mercially produced ballistic barriers and may be a lot cheaper to implement.
The secure room also should have some way of calling for help other
than the telephone line to the residence. An emergency radio or cellular
phone is the preferred method. In addition, your home should be stocked
with drinking water and food in the event that the security situation makes
it necessary to remain indoors over the course of several days.
