Watch: Texas-tested security barriers could prevent ER crash disaster
BRYAN, Texas (KXAN) — On a cloudy April morning, KXAN investigators arrived at the World War II-era air field about 100 miles east of Austin. Following a caravan through a maze of side streets, the team entered through a security gate and park across from a hangar that read, in large capital letters: TEXAS A&M TRANSPORTATION INSTITUTE.
Bryan Army Air Field trained pilots during the war and, later, a handful of future astronauts, including Buzz Aldrin, whose statue stands a short drive from where we were standing. This former airfield apron is now used for a different type of safety exercise that, experts say, could help prevent vehicles from crashing into buildings. The site now houses part of TTI’s safety and security testing programs.
We were there at the invitation of the McCue Corporation. The Massachusetts-based company makes security barriers, or bollards, for companies across the country, including H-E-B. After a fatal crash at St. David’s North Austin Medical Center in February, KXAN reached out to learn more about how bollards work.