Career Insights Career Insights
Photo Credit: Bill Rigdon

Surviving An Intrusion

Have you ever seen the 2002 film: Panic Room, starring Jodie Foster? If so, you’ve already seen Bill Rigdon’s “work.” Bill, CEO of Building Consensus, Panic Room Builders helped design the set for Hollywood. Constructing safe rooms is his life’s work – his craft, skillset, and passion. I recently sat down with Bill to discuss his company one-on-one – seeking to gain insight into present day operations & the future of his company.

If you are in the market for a panic room, look no further. Panic Room Builders is a globally recognized panic room builder company. Areas of the company’s expertise include: consulting, design, & installation.

Assessing a person(s), or a commercial company’s needs is the first step. If a safe room is what is required: Building Consensus, Panic Room Builders will come in & construct the safe room. Built to the specific needs/wants/desires of the client (& to his/her family).

Earthquakes, Weather, Civil Unrest

Given the current societal instability, (not only domestically, but abroad) – our lives are constantly being threatened. Increased acts of violence have grown as well as the frequency of natural disasters.

As Bill Rigdon states “safe rooms are often the key factor between life and death. Our world-class team of former FBI crisis-management specialists, architects, engineers and construction professionals have been securing the world for over two decades.”

HOW MUCH IS THIS GOING TO
COST?

According to Bill, someone in the market to purchase a safe room/panic room is looking at anywhere between “$50,000 to $500,000.”

Photo Credit: Bill Rigdon

BALLISTICS:

Everything that Panic Room Builders does involves (at minimum) the use of level III composites and up. Trends towards Level 8, AR500 armor plated steel. Customized & fabricated to each specific project and/or job site. Notes: These materials are very difficult to work with as far as fabricating and installing – due to weight factors. The Panic Room Builders design team creates hidden passages & doors that are un-noticable, or undetectable to the average eye. (i.e. even down to finite details such as crown molding, bookcases, etc.)

High tech electronics are a major-part of the panic room nowadays – for ease of access. According to Rigdon, the use of retinal & fingerprint access control measures are the two most common.

WHAT’S IN A PANIC ROOM?

  • Medical supplies: first aid kit, tourniquets, & a trauma bag
  • Food: rations for a duration of one week, or longer (i.e. MREs – Meals Ready to Eat)
  • Firearms: ammunition, magazines
  • Ballistic panels
  • Ballistic vests (one per each person)
  • Gas mask(s) & tanks of oxygen.
  • Oxygen supply masks
  • Lines of Communication: Radios, cell phones, SAT phones

FUTURE OPERATIONS: UAV
DRONE OPS & USE OF ROBOTS

“The sky’s the limit when it comes to your security” – Bill Rigdon

Panic Room Builders is spearheading the use of UAV/UAS drones. This is viewed as a safeguard for property management & to overall: save lives.
Panic Room Builders prides itself on advanced contingency plan preparations – fail safe systems.

As Bill states: “…we have backups for everything.” Hard lines of communication (for example) that can dispatch emergency response.
Other deterrences that are currently implemented, or are in the process of being utilized include: (but are not limited to) the use of smoke, sprays that are disorienting, as well as the intense use of lighting & sound.

CLOSING REMARKS – GETTING INTO THE BUSINESS:

If you are looking to get into the business of consulting, designing, and building panic rooms, know how to network. Building relationships is crucial in any profession. Establishing & maintaining a solid track record of performance (especially in the protective security/safe room line-of-work) is imperative to any future business deals.

  • The client is number one. Protect the client at all costs. Ensure their safety.
  • Be an asset to the Team. Have the right mentality & willingness.
  • Trust is earned – failure is not an option.

If you believe you have what it takes, please send Building Consensus, Panic Room Builders an email: info@panicroombuilders.com. Please include your resume. Address it to Bill Rigdon. Mention Strike Source.

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