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Escaping Humvees...DHS discovers YouTube...Taser troubles

School bus technology is improving Humvee safety, the Department of Homeland Security goes social, and a Taser apparently ignites gas fumes around a suspect.

Mark Rutherford
The military establishment's ever increasing reliance on technology and whiz-bang gadgetry impacts us as consumers, investors, taxpayers and ultimately as the defended. Our mission here is to bring some of these products and concepts to your attention based on carefully selected criteria such as importance to national security, originality, collateral damage to the treasury and adaptability to yard maintenance-but not necessarily in that order. E-mail him at markr@milapp.com. Disclosure.
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Mark Rutherford
2 min read

School bus technology could improve Humvee safety.

BAE Systems has developed a way for crews of up-armored Humvees to quickly remove the ballistic windshield and exit the vehicle during an emergency.

Troops have long complained of being unable to exit tactical vehicles after land mine blasts or during accidents involving water and ditches. The problem is so serious that the 10th Mountain Division invented its own door-ripping tool called the "Rat Claw."

Similar to what's seen in many civilian buses, the BAE VEE Window allows a ballistic windshield to be removed in less than 5 seconds, according to the company.

BAE

DHS on YouTube
Go to YouTube for latest on duct tape and color codes.

The Department of Homeland Security launched its new YouTube Channel site on Wednesday, in an attempt to enhance its "Web presence, increase transparency and provide accurate, up-to-date information to the public."

"Social media plays an increasingly large role in our engagement with the public, especially in the event of an incident or disaster," DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano said. "These new tools will facilitate an open dialogue about the Department's security efforts across the nation and around the world."

Yeah, as long as the power's not out.

Taser tactics
Taser International is in hot water Down Under.

An Australian man, who allegedly brandished a container of gasoline and a cigarette lighter, burst into flames after police tasered him in self-defense, according to Police Commissioner Karl O'Callaghan.

The man, who was in a remote Aboriginal community north of Perth, was allegedly sniffing the gas fumes in an attempt to get high, police said. He "burst into flames" after the Taser was fired, suffering third-degree burns to his face, arms, and chest. The possibility that the lighter started the fire has not been ruled out.

"The only other choice they would have had is to use a police-issue firearm, and the consequences would almost certainly have been far more grave," O'Callaghan told reporters.