Bullet Proof Security Systems, News, Information | Demand TSS

A recent NPR report highlighted the growth of bulletproof glass businesses south of the border. As Mexico’s drug wars intensify, so too, grows the need for armored vehicles.

Photo courtesy of NPR/ Jason Beaubien

According to NPR’s report, there are 14 armoring companies certified by Mexico’s federal government. A plant engineer at one of the armoring companies explains that armor protection can range from level 1, or basic, to level 5, or advanced:

“Armoring a car, particularly a large SUV, can mean adding more than a ton of steel, thick sheets of Kevlar and 3-inch-thick glass windows. Once you get to Level 4 and Level 5, we upgrade the suspension and in some cases the motor to compensate for the added weight.”

The report also includes reference to lives saved by bulletproof glass:

“There have been… recent incidents in which bulletproofing saved lives. In April, gunmen ambushed the state security secretary for Michoacan, Minerva Bautista Gomez. The attackers fired 2,700 rounds into her convoy and ripped apart her Jeep Grand Cherokee, according to investigators. But the car had been bulletproofed and Bautista Gomez survived, though two of her bodyguards and two passing motorists were killed in the ambush.”

A transcript of the original report can be found here.

A great video from ABC13 in Houston proves that if it can stop a bullet, someone who tries to smash through a window that’s made of bulletproof glass has zero chance of getting through.

Click here to check out the video of a man trying to escape through a bulletproof window

Courthouses are secure! And, although Total Security Solutions can’t confirm that it’s our bullet resistant glass that stopped this would-be escapee, we have installed our product in a few courthouses in the U.S.

One of the world’s most famous women was let out of her bulletproof case this week: The Mona Lisa. The Economist has an interesting article that offers insight on what happens when she’s let out of her bullet proof case annually.

Photo courtesy of the Associated Press

Housed at The Louvre in Paris, DaVinci’s masterpiece has been the subject of admiration and awe for centuries. Painted in 1503, The Mona Lisa is rumored to be valued at more than $700 million.

For those of us not lucky enough to have a stop in Paris on our summer vacation itinerary, The Louvre offers a great multimedia slideshow that will allow you to get up close (virtually) to The Mona Lisa.

We were pretty delighted to hear that bulletproof glass is among the amenities offered at the world’s most expensive hotel. At the Hotel President Wilson in Geneva, a five star wonder that offers 228 guest rooms and 48 suites, guests enjoy “all the amenities that define luxurious living, including Spa, beauty centre and hairdresser, and Fitness Centre.”

From the Daily Telegragh, a photo of the world's most expensive hotel room

Luckily, technology has evolved since the 30’s. We no longer test bullet proof glass as is demonstrated in this video. It’s an oldie, but goodie… and a great reminder of far we’ve come at developing not only products that keep people safe, but ways to test them for effectiveness.

If you’re interested, click over here to find more info on the process that we use to tackle every unique glass project.

PHOTO CREDIT: CHRIS USHER / MCCLATCHY NEWSPAPERS

We weren’t surprised at all to read a recent article about the Secret Service museum’s bullet proof glass protection.  Unwanted visitors to this invite-only facility are kept out by numerous security measures, including a bullet proof reception area.

Leave it to those who know a thing or two about security to trust bullet proof glass to keep their valuables safe!

Safety is always a concern at marquee events – from concerts to sports to rallies and speeches.  One of the world’s largest sporting attractions, the World Cup(TM), kicks off tomorrow in South Africa, and it’s no surprise that safety is taking some of the event’s spotlight. 

Private bodyguards and GPS tracking systems are available for rental, as are special vehicles to accommodate travel needs.  Bullet resistant vehicles are being rented out to World Cup spectators at a reported rate of $2000 a day.

South Africa’s crime rate is among the highest in the world, but some argue that safety concerns regarding the South African venue are media hype.  Regardless of what’s truth and what’s hype, some attendees aren’t taking chances while away from the stadium by choosing bullet proof glass to keep them safe.

The insanely popular Mafia Wars game on Facebook may have caused you to ignore many a status update. Here at Total Security Solutions, we took note of the recently added bulletproof glass award the game offers.  Seems like real or virtual, bulletproof is the undisputed king of safety and protection in dangerous situations.

Bulletproof glass is awarded for certain jobs in Mafia Wars. You can check out this link to the Mafia Wars Wiki for more info.

“Glassphemy!,” a psychological recycling experiment in New York City, proves that bulletproof glass can not only protect art – it can be art!

Photo by Piotr Redlinski for The New York Times

A 20-foot-by-30-foot clear box, Glassphemy! is made of steel and bulletproof glass.  At the art installation, people stand on a high platform and throw recyclable bottles into the glass box.  Observers, who view from platforms circling Glassphemy!, are protected from the flying debris by the box’s bulletproof glass walls.

Glassphemy! is an all-around satisfying experience, according to the New York Times.

“The bottles smash fantastically, artfully designed lights flash, and no one is harmed.”

Bullet resistant glass (better known as bulletproof glass)  is referred to very often in this niche industry. However it is a little known fact that in most cases there is no actual “glass” involved. The three most common forms of ballistic security glass are acrylic, polycarbonate and glass class polycarbonate.

Bullet Resistant Acrylic from Total Security Solutions

Acrylic: Bulletproof acrylic is the most commonly used material for transaction windows and ballistic resistant barrier systems.  The acrylic material is available in UL ballistic protection levels one and two. The acrylic also has the option to have an abrasion resistant (AR) coating or be standard acrylic. The abrasion resistant coating comes standard on our level two acrylic and provides protection against cleaning solvents and weather, as well as an increased resistance to the effects of ultra violet light.

Polycarbonate: Bulletproof polycarbonate materials are normally composed of an acrylic core with two polycarbonate caps each side of the secure surface. Polycarbonate materials are available in UL ballistic protection levels one thru three and all three come standard with an abrasion resistant coating. All of the polycarbonate materials that Total Security Solutions offers also have a forced entry rating.

Glass Clad Polycarbonate: Glass Clad Polycarbonate (GCP) materials are composed of inter layers of glass and polyurethane with exterior caps of glass and abrasion resistant polycarbonate.  GCP comes in UL ballistic protection levels one thru five and level eight as well. All of the GCP materials that Total Security Solutions offers carry a forced entry level in addition to their ballistic rating.

Now when someone is talking about bulletproof glass you can ask them, “what type of ‘glass’ are you talking about”…if it’s even glass at all! For more information on ballistic materials such as bulletproof glass please visit our website or call us at 866-930-7807