Reliance Foundry, Security Directors Act On Lessons From Vehicles Used As Bombs

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Aug 23, 2011

The Oklahoma City bombing was a bomb attack on a Federal Building in downtown Oklahoma City on April 19, 1995 in which Timothy McVeigh's truck full of explosives killed 168 people and injured more than 500. It was the most destructive act of terrorism on American soil until the September 11, 2001 attacks. Today, security directors continue to look for innovations in building perimeter security to ensure their facilities provide optimum safety.

McVeigh didn't actually drive the truck into the building; he parked it in front of the building and used a remote detonator. The first World Trade Center bombing in 1993 was caused by a truck parked in the building's garage. Around the world, hundreds of suicide bombers have driven vehicles packed with explosives into buildings. Today, security directors choose a variety of methods to prevent building penetration and explosion by vehicles – setbacks, security gates, anti-ram walls, bollards, protective glazing, structural hardening, etc.

Recognizing these incidents, bollard manufacturer Reliance Foundry Co. Ltd. "continuously strives to maintain and upgrade the quality of our security bollard products," said Brad Done, vice president.

Bollards are those often-unnoticed posts people walk by every day going in and out of public buildings, designed and spaced to prevent vehicles from getting past a safe perimeter. Many are plain cement-filled steel posts, which are "effective, but detract from the appearance of the building," Done said, "so more and more building owners, security directors and architects are choosing to use security posts with decorative bollard covers that enhance the building's landscape, while keeping those inside safe."

Engineered security bollards can effectively block even the largest trucks, up to 66,000 pounds or 30,000 kilograms when properly installed into new concrete foundations, according to Done. However, these security bollards by themselves can create an architectural eyesore. Reliance foundry provides decorative metal post covers for these permanent security bollards, creating an aesthetic feature out of the security necessity.

Reliance provides other safety and security bollard products to help prevent unwanted vehicle entry near or into buildings. By themselves, traffic & parking bollards provide safety and security by their mere presence – deterring traffic away from pedestrians and buildings. Retractable bollards retract into the ground, and are often used for driveways that must be open for deliveries, maintenance or emergency vehicles. Removable bollards function in much the same way - providing roadway and pathway definition, but moving out of the way when vehicle access is required.

"To meet our standards, bollard covers must be top quality to optimize appearance and ensure many years of no- or low-maintenance service,” Done stated.

Reliance Foundry offers countless bollard styles, models and functions, many of which can be customized to suite a customers unique installation requirements. Bollards and metal post covers come in a variety of powder coated metal finishes and materials, including stainless steel. While all of Reliance Foundry’s bollards can be installed by themselves for aesthetic or traffic deterrence purposes only, the majority of these bollards can also be used as decorative post covers that can be installed effectively over steel security bollards.

"Bollards are the simplest, most secure and least expensive way to protect structures from security threats from break-ins to terrorism. They are becoming a routine architectural feature in the design of new buildings, and additions to existing structures. Many designs use standard bollards in utility areas, but add decorative metal bollard covers in public entry areas," Done said.

About Reliance Foundry Co. Ltd.

Reliance Foundry has been a family-owned business since 1927, bringing over 80 years of foundry experience to the design and manufacture of fixed, removable, retractable, flexible & decorative traffic bollards and steel security bollard covers. Their products provide elegant solutions for bike parking, direction, protection and definition in your construction and streetscape projects.

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