D-M’s barrier plan protects people, buildings

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Michael Washburn
  • 355th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
DAVIS-MONTHAN AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. --  On a military base, having security measures ready at a moment's notice in the event of a potential threat is often imperative in keeping the base's people safe and the mission running. The barrier plan is one of the security measures D-M employs to keep the Desert Lightning Team safe.

Individuals on base will be able to see the barrier plan in action first-hand from 6 a.m. Dec. 6 to 6 a.m. Dec. 7. Plan accordingly for potential detours and expect minimal traffic delays.

"The barrier plan is designed to protect critical and sensitive facilities on base as well as high occupancy buildings," said Ron Hoover, 355th Fighter Wing antiterrorism force protection officer. "It's a Department of Defense requirement to have this plan. We protect people and the mission."

There are two types of barriers the base can utilize. One type is similar to the concrete barriers found on highways which are about four feet tall, while the other is between eight and 10 feet tall.

The barrier plan is used in heightened force protection conditions. It's a security measure used when the base raises the FPCON level to Charlie, but the plan is reviewed for use in Bravo. However, the measure is dependent on the potential threat. "We use (the barrier plan) to defeat either a moving or stationary vehicle improvised explosive device," Hoover said. As a force protection requirement, D-M implements the barrier plan.

If the barrier plan is used, areas such as roads and parking lots could also be blocked off if necessary. Although this may seem like it will cause driving congestion for base personnel, in a real-world situation, this would be minimal.

"In a real-world event, not all personnel would have access to the installation, only people who are mission specific," Hoover said. "Areas like the base exchange and the commissary would be closed down, so the base traffic would be significantly reduced."

A barrier plan is useful when trying to keep people and buildings safe, but what happens if someone is trapped inside the barrier? It's unlikely, but it could happen if a barrier plan is used during a base exercise. If that was the case, depending on the threat or the situation, the barrier could be moved for the vehicle. If a barrier was used real-world, the building would first be evacuated and if a vehicle was left, it would be checked for dangerous material and would have to wait for the threat to be resolved, Hoover said.

The barrier plan is one of the features available to help protect D-M's assets from harm. If used for a base exercise, it may be an inconvenience, but the key intention is safety. Being able to effectively practice these procedures during exercises allows the base to be better prepared and more efficient should a real-world need arise to implement the security measure, Hoover said.

"It's required by Department of Defense to have a barrier plan," Hoover said. "It may seem like a hassle to some. But when used, it's for the protection of the base populace."