THREATS FRAY NERVES BUT SPAWN INNOVATION : THE RUSH IS ON TO ADDRESS VULNERABILITY WITH SURVEILLANCE TECHNOLOGY AND PROTECTIONS
Thomas J. Sawyer · ENR · 2004
With terrorism high on transportation operations' list of concerns, the vulnerability assessment business is growing and, as vulnerable spots are identified, steps are taken to harden potential targets. Alerts can lead to major upheavals. Wilcox, Arizona, dumped its water reserves when a guard noticed a broken lock and hatch on its reservoir. In the end, it turned out that some trespassers had broken in to take a swim. Software is being developed to analyze images captured by the growing numbers of video surveillance cameras. Fences now can contain sensors and new fence designs can restrain bigger and heavier intrusions. Sensors can allow guards to listen for breeches, but costs and reliability of new technology are still problems.