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ARTICLES
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BlastWrap Offers Continuous Blast Mitigation
Kevin J. Sharpe, VP - Engineering & Product Design, September 15, 2004
The threat of global terrorism is real, it is here and it is now. Be assured, somewhere on the planet someone is plotting the next atrocity to be conducted against this great country. Terrorists may be assembling devices, travelling toward their target, setting timers and fuses, readying weapons - who knows? The truth is we don't know how or when terrorists will strike. But we know that they will.
For years intelligence services in Europe and the US have gathered information about militant groups. There is a greater insight into terror organisations now than ever before. The intelligence services are our first line of defence against terrorist attacks. But they were not able to prevent 9/11 or the Madrid bombings or Omagh. And they probably won't prevent the next ones. This illustrates how powerless the authorities are in the face of a persistent terrorist threat. The second line of defence against these attacks are the first responders and the special response services such as the Bomb Squads but these, often, highly trained specialists can only respond to an event that hasn't happened yet and may be countered in some way. The modus operandi of the Islamic extremist is to give no warning, no notice to evacuate or take defensive action but to take as many innocent lives as is humanly possible, even at the expense of their own. In the face of such determined aggression what can be done?
The answer is preparation. The key to this preparation is the removal of vulnerabilities from systems that can be exploited by terrorist organisations. Active protection such as intelligence and specialist response teams offer valuable expertise, but over dependence on these as a primary strategy has failed us in the past and will undoubtedly fail us again. First responder resources continue to face daunting efficiency limitations. A new approach is required: Passive Protection. This means protection that is there night and day, 24/7, needs no maintenance, is always in immediate reaction mode. The answer is BlastWrap, a new product from BlastGard International. BlastWrap is designed to rapidly and effectively reduce the blast and fireball effects of an explosion, whether from an intentional terrorist act or other cause.
BlastWrap comprises three components:
- A low density (0.1g/cc), crushable filler
- A highly efficient flame suppressant and fire extinguishant
- Flexible and hermetically sealed containment matrix
BlastWrap is proven to rapidly snuff out the flash and fireball from explosive detonations. It reduces blast overpressures by a factor of up to 97% with distance. This in practical terms reduces the impact of a terrorist explosion, from a life-taking event to a significantly lesser incident. The flash suppression materials help to prevent burns by snuffing out the fireball. BlastWrap applications offer protection to many areas where security vulnerabilities exist:
- Passenger aircraft. Aircraft are particularly vulnerable to explosive threat. BlastWrap ensures that another Lockerbie does not happen.
- Trash receptacles. Many of the explosion resistant trash receptacles that are being placed in airports and subways do not deal with an explosive threat (although claims to the contrary are common). The blast from the explosion ejected from existing containers will cause injury and death over large distances. BlastWrap dramatically reduces blast injury.
- The suspect package. A BlastGard product, FR2414, offers protection against a wide range of improvised explosive threats and is easily and rapidly deployed by a single person.
- Protection of structures and buildings.
- Protection of vehicles. BlastWrap protects the occupants of a vehicle from the blast and accelerations from an under vehicle mine or from a side IED.
- Protection of our Military. BlastGard International is engaged in programs to protect Humvees, temporary accommodation, barracks etc from the effect of an explosive attack.
- Ammunition packaging. BlastWrap protects ammunition from inadvertent initiation and stops a single event from becoming a catastrophe.
- Protection of industrial processes.
BlastWrap is a unique product. It has been developed to address the obvious and not so obvious weaknesses, the gaps, in our security systems. BlastWrap presents cost effective solutions for a multitude of industries and environments. Its proven effectiveness needs no maintenance. BlastWrap gives continuous protection against surprise attack, 24/7.
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