The Redhook Resilience Project: A Case Study in Ballistic Preparedness and Design Collaboration

CrisisWire
2 days ago
3 min read

By CrisisWire | Investigative Feature📩 crisiswire@proton.me | 🔗 bit.ly/crisiswire

How Collaboration Built Protection Before It Was Needed

Long before the first ballistic door was installed at New York City’s Redhook Houses East and West, a quiet partnership had already begun shaping the safety of one of the city’s most historically vulnerable communities.

When Superior Steel Door & Trim Co., Inc. (SSDT) was contracted to reinforce the NYCHA Redhook facilities with ballistic-grade materials, they reached out to CrisisWire (Formerly RyPul Threat Assessments) — a recognized leader in physical threat assessment and site vulnerability consulting — to evaluate the risks before installation ever began.

CrisisWire’s assignment was clear: provide an independent threat assessment to validate SSDT’s proposed design standards against current UL 752 Level 3 and NIJ Level III ballistic protection benchmarks.

“We weren’t there to sell armor — we were there to verify readiness,” explains a CrisisWire consultant with prior LAPD and FEMA experience. “Our mission was to ensure that the materials, layouts, and defensive zones aligned with real-world risk factors, not just engineering specs.”

Assessing the Threat Landscape

Redhook’s location and public function presented unique challenges. The site houses critical administrative, maintenance, and community facilities for NYCHA tenants — all of which required physical hardening that could withstand potential armed intrusion, vandalism, or ballistic assault scenarios.

CrisisWire consultants conducted a multi-phase site vulnerability assessment, reviewing:

Historical security incidents and response data.
Exposure risks for ballistic, blast, and forced-entry threats.
Material selection compatibility with FEMA 428 “Primer to Design Safe School Projects in Case of Terrorist Attacks and School Shootings.”
Security zoning for guard booths, transaction windows, and controlled-access points.

The findings were compiled into a report that supported SSDT’s design submissions and guided implementation of UL 752 Level 3 fiberglass wall panels, ballistic-grade steel doors, and non-spall ballistic glazing rated for 9mm and .44 Magnum handgun resistance.

Design Verification Through Real-World Standards

CrisisWire’s consulting model integrates both architectural security principles and behavioral threat analysis — a hybrid approach that merges field experience from law enforcement and protective operations with design validation.

In Redhook’s case, that meant confirming that SSDT’s proposed solutions matched not just ballistic testing data, but actual response dynamics found in real incidents.

Key standards referenced included:

UL 752 Level 3 & 5 ballistic glass and fiberglass panel requirements.
NIJ 0108.01 Level IIIA–III standards for composite barriers.
ASTM F3038-14 forced-entry resistance standards.
CISA Infrastructure Resilience guidelines for public facility protection.

(Supporting documentation: A Guide to Ballistic Standard UL 752 for Bullet Resistant Glass)

“Physical threat consulting isn’t just technical—it’s contextual,” notes a CrisisWire analyst. “Every site is different, every layout creates new lines of vulnerability. We make sure the engineering team understands that reality.”

From Assessment to Assurance

The Redhook collaboration between SSDT and CrisisWire produced more than secure infrastructure — it produced a template for evidence-based security design.

By combining SSDT’s fabrication and installation expertise with CrisisWire’s assessment methodology, the project delivered layered protection without compromising accessibility or community aesthetics.

That same methodology now guides CrisisWire’s assessments across Hawai‘i and the U.S., blending UL/NIST-certified ballistic consulting with DHS/NTAC behavioral threat assessment models.

(See: Hawai‘i Office of Homeland Security – Targeted Violence Prevention)

The Broader Lesson: Prevention Is Architecture

Too often, organizations only invest in protection after an incident. CrisisWire’s role in the Redhook project underscores a different philosophy: that threat awareness must be built into the blueprint, not added as an afterthought.

It’s the same mindset discussed in The Prepared Leader and Locked Down Blueprint — that leadership accountability begins in design.

By identifying risks early, before construction, CrisisWire helps firms like SSDT deliver solutions that meet both FEMA resilience criteria and ASIS International physical security standards.

CrisisWire Analysis

Redhook’s success represents a growing national trend: the integration of independent physical threat assessments into pre-construction and renovation workflows. These partnerships redefine what “secure design” means in public housing, transit, and education sectors.

“The smartest security systems start before the walls go up,” says a CrisisWire Threat Management Specialist. “That’s how you save time, money, and most importantly — lives.”

(Further resources: CISA Critical Infrastructure Protection, Academia.edu Threat and Resilience Studies, Archive.org Security Architecture Archives)

Ready to Strengthen Your Next Project?

Whether you’re a construction contractor, design firm, or public agency, CrisisWire provides independent threat assessment consulting to validate design plans and protect against emerging physical and behavioral threats.

Our consultants bring real operational experience from LAPD, USAF Security Forces, FEMA NIMS, and global WPS/WPPS contracts. We don’t just advise on risk — we help you build resilience.

📩 Contact: crisiswire@proton.me🔗 Learn more: bit.ly/crisiswire

📚 Referenced works: The Prepared Leader |Campus Under Siege |Locked Down Blueprint |Unmatched Arsenal