Hostile Mitigation: Risk of Safe Rooms to Protect against Physical Attacks and Natural Disasters. 

Gone are the days when saferooms are exclusively installed by wealthy families and celebrities. 

 The pandemic, with all of its economic instability, heightened pressure and uncertainties that it produced, likely contributed to higher number of homicides and shootings than usual.  

According to the VOA news, the number of homicides in the United States increased almost 30% during the first year of the COVID-19, a phenomenon seen in both cities and rural areas.¹ (Mekouar, 2022) 

In fact, demand for safe rooms is soaring for different facilities from schools, hospitals, sporting venues, governmental facilities, and commercial buildings.   

As it is becoming more common for armed assaulters and thefts to outsmart security systems with their digital savviness, having saferooms means an additional layer of protection. 

Some safe rooms are designed to withstand forced entry attempts and to be ballistic or blast resistant to minimize the effectiveness of the weapons. The design involves keeping both the occupants out of sight and the use of Ballistic/Blast resistant materials. 

In general, saferooms are also reinforced to provide protection from debris, broken glass and other hazards.² (Statefarm, 2022) Hence, besides protection from intruders, they can also be used against severe wind and storm protection such as tornadoes and hurricanes for residence. They are especially life-changing for those living in countries that are prone to natural disasters.  

In ESCO, we will support you in the design process and the construction of a safe room:  

• In accordance with your desired level of protection 

• Anti-Force entry, Anti-Ballistic or Anti Blast Protection 
• To fit the saferoom with your site characteristics, site constraints and local regulations  
• To fit and integrate to facilitate calling of emergency services like Police/fire brigade  
• Sanitation facilities within the safe room  
• Anti-Tamper Ventilation systems    

• All proposed design and construction will be endorsed by Structural Engineer  

Safe-room designs vary with budget and intended use and are increasingly popular nowadays to protect occupants from various types of emergencies. 

 Contact ESCO at [email protected] today for more details and a free consultation. 

References: 

Mekouar, D. (2022, February 02). Why Homicide Rates in US Spiked 30% during COVID Pandemic. VOA News. https://www.voanews.com/a/why-homicide-rates-spiked-30-during-the-pandemic-/6420391.html 

Statefarm. (n.d.). How a storm shelter or safe room can help protect against severe weather. Simple Insights. https://www.statefarm.com/simple-insights/residence/safe-room-how-to-design