The One World Trade Center, Sometimes called freedom tower, replaced the twin towers that
were destroyed during 9/11.
Its 1776 feet tall and its the most expensive office tower in the world, costing 4 billion
dollars.
But It sits only a few yards from the same site that had been hit by terrorists twice
before.
One has to wonder…would it happen again?
Life’s biggest questions asks, What if the One World Trade center was attacked?
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When the plans for freedom tower were announced, the NYPD deputy commissioner for counter terrorism
objected to the buildings location.
The Port Authority never responded, saying they never received a letter from the NYPD.
They believed that another attempted attack on the world trade center within the next
10 years was inevitable, and pretty much a certainty.
But Governor Pataki went ahead with the plans, vowing to built a tower that would inspire
the nation and serve as a tribute to freedom.
The world trade center has been attacked twice before, once in 1993 by a truck bomb, and
then of course, on 9/11.
According to CNN national security analyst Peter Bergen, it seems a target in perpetuity,
somebody will try something, even if it’s some half-hearted attempt by somebody merely
inspired by al Qaeda.
He also said he would never work at freedom tower.
In fact, many terrorism experts agree that sooner or later, ground zero will be targeted
again.
So now that you know that another attack on ground zero is inevitable, what will happen
once it does?
Will it be a catastrophic disaster like the one on 9/11?
NYPD Commissioner Ray Kelly told 60 minutes that if necessary, the NYPD could blow an
airplane out of the sky, adding that the new york police department has lots of capabilities
that you don’t know about, and you wont know about.
The world trade center has its own precinct, staffed by 6 hundred police officers, all
experts in counterterrorism.
The Port Authority police department is in charge of security at the freedom tower.
So in short, theres a lot of people protecting the world trade center.
So if an attacker somehow makes it past the NYPD, here’s the deal.
To protect it from another car bomb attack, the freedom tower is located 90 feet from
the edge of the street, instead of the previous 25.
Its also protected by a 70 ton steep beam base 200 feet by 200 feet, designed to protect
the building from vehicular bomb blasts.
Every vehicle that enters the underground parking is screened for explosives.
Visitors pass through metal detectors, all packages and bags are screened much like in
an airport.
Stair access is restricted, and visitor time is limited, monitored, and recorded.
There are cameras pretty much everywhere, and they are monitored 24 center by both real
people and software that is designed to recognize suspicious people, activity and unattended
baggage.
Freedom tower is designed to be an extremely strong structure.
It has a concrete wall, one meter thick, located within the steel frame.
The concrete core is the strongest ever mixed.
The original towers, were made entirely of steel.
When the plane crashed into the north tower, the jet fuel superheated the steel support
columns, softening it to the point that it buckled under its own weight.
Freedom tower also has multiple layers of beams and columns bolted together, which will
prevent bending.
Therefore, its likely that the one world trade center could survive an attack like the one
on 9/11 One of the major problems that occurred on
9/11 was not enough room in the stairwell for people to evacuate.
The new stairwells are 50% wider than required, allowing more people as well as wheelchairs.
If there is ever another attack that prompts an evacuation, the staircases interconnect
to allow people trying to escape to cross over should a stairwell become blocked.
They are internally pressurized, which keeps smoke out, and they also feature low level
emergency lighting, which were somehow not integrated in the original towers.
There are also stairwells dedicated to first responders, that are designed so that they
can only travel up as fast as possible and not have to maneuver around people who are
trying to rush down the stairs and escape.
If there is a fire in freedom tower, it has water tanks with double the capacity rewuired
by New york building code, and if theres a biological attack, freedom tower also has
chemical filters in the air supply system.
There is a first responder only, fireproof elevator, giving fire crews access to all
112 floors more quickly.
In conclusion, the One world trade center was designed in response to the problems that
cost 3000 people their lives on 9/11.
Of course, if there is another attack, new problems will arise.
Its imposible to completely secure a building against an attack, especially a plane.
But as it stands, freedom tower is one tough cookie to crack.
I’m charlotte dobre for lifes biggest questions, don’t forget to like this video, share it
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