A ballistic rated enclosure (BRE) may commonly be known as a guard tower, security booth, watchtower, range tower, observation tower or a fire tower. If your BRE is used for observation, it should be elevated. However, you may need a guard booth at the entrance to a facility—of course, that needs to be at ground level.
A BRE protects your personnel, assets and resources from threats outside of your facility. It also allows your personnel to see more if the BRE is elevated. Kontek builds BREs to exceed NIJ-IV and .50 caliber armor piercing rounds. Our BREs also proved tested blast protection. We build our units to meet your requirements.
A guard booth at the entrance to a facility should also meet ballistic ratings, especially if the facility manufactures sensitive items or requires a security clearance. The guard booth is the first line of defense for approaching vehicles. An elevated guard tower is the first line of defense for those trying to access the facility by means other than the road in.
Should Your BRE Be Elevated?
Unless you need a guard booth to check traffic as it comes into your facility, BREs should be elevated for maximum observation. Elevated BREs or guard towers and range towers are made to see a long distance, whether to protect a large facility or to see over a large section of land to look for forest fires in parks and national forests. In these cases, guard towers won’t do you any good unless they are high enough to see everything for a long distance.
Regardless of the height you need, Kontek Industries will build a tower to see over a large area. When you contact us about your requirements, let us know the distance you need to see so that we can build exactly what you need.
When planning for your big guard booths, keep in mind that if they are to protect one or more buildings, you will have some blind spots against the walls that are away from the towers. Thus, it is best to have at least two guard towers, depending on the shape and position of your buildings. A single building might need two towers—one in the front and one in the rear, but two or more buildings should have a minimum of four towers at all four corners of the complex.
Facts About BREs
BREs have several features to keep your personnel safe, including but not limited to:
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Compliance with wind load and seismic load requirements for your geographical area;
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Full perimeter guard rails around the walkways to ensure your personnel are safe from falls;
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Meet ballistic ratings as specified by your individual application;
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Stairs with handrails and guardrails for safety; and
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The ability to protect personnel from the weather and environmental conditions.
BREs are weather resistant to keep them from rusting and to help resist corrosion. The structure is built of steel so the tower lasts much longer.
Additionally, BREs, including a portable guard booth, have ballistic ratings strong enough to deter a .50 caliber round. Military posts, weather observation platforms, towers to spot fires and watch stations are all beneficial if the tower uses high ballistic ratings. These not only keep your personnel safe from incoming fire, but they also protect your personnel from the weather and other environmental events.
Contact Kontek Industries for BRE Solutions
Whether you need portable guard shacks or tall observation towers to watch over a secure building complex or a large forested area, contact Kontek Industries to discuss your specific needs, including ballistic ratings and weatherproofing.
