The Science
of "Blast Resistant"
Blast
Resistant Buildings are here to protect life and to some extent goods (information). Regardless of whether we want to protect
against bullets, hurricanes and/or terrorist attacks we constantly look for ways to make our infrastructure safer and stronger.
Some have argued that the blast resistant windows at the Pentagon strengthened the walls and prevented further structural
collapse in the areas close to the crash site. While this issue is worthwhile discussing, let us take a look the
other side of the coin. We are hereby referring to those firefighters arriving at the Pentagon and unable
to gain quick access to the inside using the windows adjacent to the crash site due to their lack of protocols pertaining
to how their engines should be equipped when responding to retrofitted and/or new government buildings emergencies.
Government buildings and industries using blast resistant windows and doors rarely let their fire department/marshals
know what exact level of protection they have implemented (for obvious security reasons) with the fear that this information
could be easily be leaked.
Research has been conducted to try to establish viable protocols that could easily
be implemented by all fire departments. Having the right tool for the right situation makes the difference between penetrating
and eggressing safely and in a timely fashion to and from the site. These findings will soon be posted on this
page. Thank you for your patience!
In the meantime, you might be interested in learning some more about the science
of building, maintaining and retrofitting blast resistant buildings.
Online
Valuable Information on "Blast Resistant Glass"
While looking for that information online, we found that the most interesting and/or relevant information
could be found on the sites of those manufacturing this type of glass. The Emergency Management Network does not endorse any
of these companies and/or their products. We make no representation as to the integrity or quality of these products
or the validity of the statements made by these manufacturers/retailers. This list should serve as a basic reference on the
matter.
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