The real nitty gritty of the Nuclear Security industry is for obvious reasons withheld from the public’s view. With those considerations in mind, I submit the following information which may provide some helpful insight for those looking to enhance their existing security plans or present considerations for future implementation where defensive strategies have yet to be written.
Nuclear power plants are among the most high-security and high-risk facilities in the world. Whether you are part of a security team, emergency response organization, or responding local law enforcement elements, having the right tactical gear is essential for protecting a nuclear power plant, its personnel, and the general public from any potential threats.
Bullet Resistant Enclosures
Given the construction attributes of BRE’s such as those manufactured by Kontek Industries, each has an extensive amount of steel available to take advantage of magnetic Tac-Tote products. Many nuclear facilities that utilize BRE’s may have their ammunition staged on the floor using old military ammunition cans. Does this work, sure. Is this the best way to do it, probably not. Dated ammunition cans are clumsy, do not provide responders with rapid access, nor can they be oriented effectively in relation to shooting ports. Dragging an ammo can to the relevant shooting port or having magazines strewn all over the floor while in the dark is not an effective process for success.
Internal Defensive Positions
Defensive positions by design are perfectly suited for magnetic Tac-Tote products. Should a responding officer find themselves performing the duties required of them in the real world, having enough ammunition to ensure their longevity is crucial. Whether being carried inside the **Tac-Tote Responder Bag or within a generic dedicated response bag, the inclusion of a few Tac-Tote LE’s carrying additional magazines to adhere to a defensive position can be the difference maker.
Armored Vehicles
In the same way that BRE’s and defensive positions are well suited for Tac-Tote products, so too are armored vehicles. Vehicle surfaces never before thought of as possible storage locations now can be with the introduction of magnetic Tac-Tote products. Better organization, improved visibility, improved accessibility, and allowance for strategic equipment placement in preparation for contingencies are some of the benefits you will reap when implementing Tac-Tote products into your armored vehicle.
Hasty Defensive Positions
Prior to the 9/11 attacks many defensive strategies included responder locations that were strategically located however were not reinforced with dedicated ballistic steel. Large structural steel beams, a hallway corner, and even pieces of plant equipment provided cover or concealment for a responding officer when engaging a threat. Post 9/11 brought a massive influx of money spent on increasing manpower along with a robust change to infrastructure and defensive strategies. That said, Murphy’s law can and always will come into play during a real world event, possibly leaving responders susceptible to adversaries while in transit. Legacy response locations or alternate hasty responder locations may still benefit from the use of magnetic Tac-Tote products.
Medical/First Aid considerations
In the world of Force on Force drills, which are intended to mimic what could happen if a real world attack occurs, you will always find a BRE(s) “neutralized” during the course of a drill. Translation, the officer within the BRE has been injured, is dying, or is dead. If you are a facility that utilizes BRE’s or Armored vehicles and you lack any type of medkit within them, you aren’t prepared for the real world nor are you training for it. Tac-Tote products can be a cost effective magnetic solution to easily stage medkits or even a simple tourniquet to a BRE or vehicles wall providing a standardized location and rapid access to potentially life saving materials.
Keeping your eyes on target
As with any engagement utilizing a shooting port, when engaging an adversary a responding officer may have very limited exposure time of an adversary while on the move. Having to look away from a shooting port to locate ammunition during the performance of a re-load may allow an adversary’s location to no longer be available upon completion. Obviously this could prove to be very costly. Having pre-staged ammunition located next to shooting portals will allow a responder to retrieve the needed ammunition quickly and without having to take their eyes off target. Additionally, the use of prestaged ammunition allows a responders personal on body ammunition to remain thus keeping it available should there be a call to redeploy elsewhere in the course of the drill/real world incident.
Shift Augmentation
If the need arises where you need to rapidly increase security staffing levels, what is your process for facilitating this? Do you have a rapid specific predetermined and established method for outfitting these arriving officers? Is your armory currently set up for such an occurrence?
The implementation of our responder bags into a defensive strategy would also allow for an augmented shifts inventory with all applicable contingency equipment to be prestaged inside an armory ready for distribution in a standard streamlined process.
Inventory Controls
Inventory controls are a large part of nuclear security. The Tac-Tote STO Bag is a product which when used in conjunction with a beaded breakaway control seal provides quick and easy visual confirmation of inventory integrity. This optional feature, if using seals of appropriate strength, still allows for rapid opening and access to the equipment stored inside.
Portability
Administratively moving from one location to another carrying duty gear or FOF materials can be a cumbersome task depending on available manpower. Anyone carrying ammo cans can attest to this. Tac-Tote products with their shoulder carry straps can make the task of relocating equipment more manageable for your officers.
Force on Force logistics and Safety
Safety, as we say in the Nuclear world, is paramount. Being able to identify and separate training ammunition and other Force on Force related materials from duty equipment is essential. Two of our most commonly used products in nuclear security, the STO Bag and the LE, are currently available in the color blue providing a vibrant visual color contrast as another safeguard in preventing catastrophic accidents from occurring. The Tac-Tote responder bag can be available in training blue upon request.
All STO Bags are provided with velcro patches for content identification. Additionally, clear windowed PVC velcro patches are available which are perfect for the labelling of STO Bags during FOF drills. Using the provided card inserts, relevant information such as assigned names, locations, and drill numbers can be easily identified on each STO Bag from drill to drill year after year.
** Responder Bags
Security teams protecting critical infrastructure can operate very differently from one another. A site’s location, footprint, topography, size, proximity to other facilities, etc. can all influence how individual security departments operate. With all of the possible variables in equipment carried, the Tac-Tote Responder Bag may not be a viable option for some. If, however, you are currently searching for a replacement to what you are currently providing to your officers, consider the below capabilities and features of our Responder Bag.
- Large gas mask pouch that can accommodate most commercial gas masks commonly used for security applications
- Small diameter OC Fogger storage inside the gas mask pouch. Responders will need to remove the gas mask for donning prior to being able to access OC Fogger (if you know, you know)
- Two stand alone ammunition pouches capable of holding three AR-15 magazines each
- Magazine pouches can accommodate the LE product inside for removal and magazine deployment onto magnetic surfaces
- Two dedicated magazine “dump pouch” pockets located behind gas mask pouch for a standardized location for officers to retain magazines during tactical reloads
- Back up radio pouch / Large diameter chemical agent pouch up to 2 ⅝” in size
- “Push away/Stay open” magazine pouches with buckle closures if needed
- Folded closed hand carried configuration for short distance patrol or administrative travel
- Shoulder carried configuration for long patrols or contingency events
For questions please contact us using our contact form or email at: info@tac-tote.com
