Determine if your weapons storage will ever be moved or deployed.
Things change. Resources get divided, and sometimes relocated. How will your weapon storage solution adapt to those potential events?
Transportation of weapons can be a difficult and delicate process. But it doesn't have to be. Make sure the storage application has flexible options that allow for ease of transport and keeps the weapons secure from damage or theft.
I've seen some situations where weapons need to be transferred from one device to another to facilitate the transportation of weapons from Point A to Point B. A lot of unnecessary unloading, loading, and unloading, and loading time is required for this scenario. Wouldn't you want something that can store the weapons and transport them at the same time? Be sure to ask for that functionality.
Moving your weapons across base might be easy, but what do you do when they need to be moved across the world? Will they be loaded into conex containers? Can you assure their safety while in transport?
Unless you transport your weapons inside individually padded containers, you need something that will assure all your necessary weapons will arrive to theater in an operationally ready condition. Ask your manufacturer's rep if they supply barrel supports specifically for use while the storage cabinet is being transported. These special barrel supports lock the weapon in place and eliminate any vibration or abrasion of the weapons while being moved.
Other than the soldier carrying his/her weapon overseas, this is your best way to transport weapons without the concern of damage, both across the base or across the world.
Part 1: Assess your current and incoming weapons inventory.
Part 2: Assess your available weapons storage space.
Part 3: Identify your weapon security requirements.
Part 4: Determine how your weapons, optics, and equipment will be organized and issued.
Brad Tusing - Storage Specialist
A few years ago, I was fortunate to meet and visit with a number of wonderful healthcare professionals as I performed market research, gathering voice-of-the-customer input and feedback, while working on the development of our product,
FrameWRX. While input and ideas were diverse, there were some common themes - the most prominent of which was the request for flexibility.
Whether these healthcare professionals were pharmacy directors, working behind the scenes in the hospital inpatient pharmacy, or nurses out on the front lines, caring for patients, they all spoke of the need for flexibility because healthcare materials, supplies, meds, etc. are always changing - from packaging to methods - so they need storage that is both easy to adjust, and durable enough for effective reconfiguration.
In addition to flexibility, space is always an issue as they talked about the struggle to maintain as many of the "right" materials in the "right" place at the "right" time, while simultaneously minimizing non-value-added space (e.g. storage areas) and maximizing revenue-generating space (e.g. patient rooms). Furthermore, hospitals and their department sizes and locations change often as well.
Consider the Sterile Supply Room of a Transitional Trauma unit at the flagship hospital of LVHN. Both walls in this unit's supply room were lined with shelving and the two end walls each contained a door. This room supports a lot of activity, with nurses quickly entering and exiting both ends of the room, while obtaining supplies.
The hospital removed the shelves from along one wall and replaced them with two FrameWRX HD mobile shelving systems. The customer was able to utilize most of their existing bins, without having to replace them. They also increased their storage capacity along this one wall by 50%, enabling them to keep more of the supplies they need, right where the need them. The flexibility is accomplished as the FrameWRX shelves and accessories are easily adjusted on one-inch increments, and can be mounted level or sloped for ease of access and visibility.
Consider the Emergency Department in the same hospital. They were losing 50% of their space because the hospital was reallocating space to build additional ED rooms for generating more revenue as a result of increased demand. So, at the same time they were losing 50% of their space, they were required to increase the stored supplies by approximately 50%. Here too, FrameWRX HD mobile shelving was installed, along with some louvered wall panels for additional bin storage. This solution provided the increased capacity, as well as extra capacity and the flexibility for future growth in the new, smaller footprint.
In addition, in order to assist both ED and materials management personnel in finding and restocking the necessary supplies, the bins were color coded with swatches of color, which match their respective crash cart drawers. That is, each crash cart may have ten drawers, each dedicated to a specific type of supply, and color-coded as such. For example, respiratory items may be color-coded green, while cardiac related items may be red.
So, whether it's simply fast-changing conditions or the push for modifying services and revenue generation in order to stay competitive, there are flexible options, which can be tailored to each unique application, while maximizing the efficient utilization of space.
Shelley Smith - Storage Specialist
Download this FREE Adapting to Changing Storage Requirements Info Kit
Learn more about FrameWRX modular storage system and all the random shaped items it can store to get you organized!
Download the Adapting to Changing Storage Requirements Info Kit here.
The latest additions to the Spacesaver Revit Library include Mobile Storage with Cantilever Shelving as well as our Double-Wall Shelving (Case-type) product line.
Our growing collection of Revit families are available for immediate download at the Spacesaver Design Center!
The traditional 4-Post version of our Mobile product line was the first revit model we released earlier this year. Today, by popular demand, we offer the Cantilever shelving option for our Mobile product line. The cantilever shelving products are particularly popular with Libraries and Universities.
A cantilevered mobile storage solution can be delivered in manual, mechanical assist, and powered (Eclipse) versions. Each offers their own unique solution to your storage needs.
Spacesaver's Case-type Shelving (double-walled) provides an attractive, highly
adaptable storage solution for practically anything you wish to store. They are designed for both stationary and mobile storage applications, and offer a wide-range of options.
You can download and take advantage of the Spacesaver Revit families for several of our products. Visit the Spacesaver Design Center, for your Revit Family needs!
Storage Solved!
Ronald Chisholm, P.E. - Storage Specialist
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For architects and designers working with Revit®, this is where storage gets solved, so why not get notified when we offer more storage models for Revit? In addition to the Revit models we offer you full descriptions and specs that make it simple to specify and integrate innovative storage solutions in your designs. Sign up NOW!
Read more about how BIM can boost your bottom line!
Determine how your weapons, optics, and equipment will be organized and issued.
Most people like to do things "their way". And that's fine as long as the job gets done well and efficiently.
When it comes to organizing your arms rooms, we've seen it done just about every which way. And most ways work for those units. Is it more efficient to store each weapon type together, or is it best to organize all weaponry by the soldier? Are optics stored in their own cabinet? Or are optics left stored on the weapon?
Click the link to see more images of the many different ways weapons can be organized.
The bottom line is that there is no right or wrong way. It's very important for you to think about how you choose to organize and issue your weapons before you purchase your weapon cabinets. Don't let the weapon storage system determine how you organize your equipment. The weapon racks should be flexible enough for you to customize towards your operational readiness objectives.
Part 1: Assess your current and incoming weapons inventory.
Part 2: Assess your available weapons storage space.
Part 3: Identify your weapon security requirements.
Next time -Part 5: Determine if the storage solution will remain garrison or if it will be deployed.
Brad Tusing - Storage Specialist
"Colleges and universities everywhere are looking for ways their collections can grow without adding square footage." - Architect Michael Cohen, AIA, of Boston's Fletcher, Harkness, Cohen, Moneyhun, Inc.
How true Mr. Cohen! How true! Allow me to share a few examples.
When the College of Charleston, the oldest institution of higher education in South Carolina and one of the oldest in the United States, was planning the 140,000 square-foot Addlestone Library, it was with an eye to the future and a plan to maximize growth of the collections without having to increase the size of the new building. Cohen recommended mobile shelving as a solution and as a result the building footprint was 4,000 square-feet smaller. But there's more. Utilizing mobile shelving gave the new Addlestone Library potential to more than double its collection. It also helped free up space for the atrium, a variety of study areas, computers, meeting rooms, a café and tutoring facilities. Click here to learn more.
When Jean Darbyshire and the rest of the Kansas State University Libraries staff realized their collection at the Hale Library was growing more rapidly than ever, building a new facility was not an option. The space crisis had to be solved within the confines of the building. Darbyshire, director of administrative services, along with the management team determined that mobile shelving would get them the space they needed. "We calculated that we nearly double our area capacity on every system we add," said Darbyshire. Click here to learn more.
When the Central Michigan University Charles V. Park library underwent a four-floor renovation and addition, the staff faced a similar challenge. To house the combined collections, which were consolidated from several campus locations, would have required 75,000 square feet if stationary shelving were used. By utilizing high-density mobile shelving, the university was able to reduce the space needs to 45,000 square feet, which contributed to a six-million dollar savings in construction costs.
"The more we read and talked to people about it, the more mobile shelving made sense," said Pamela Grudzien, head of collection department. "A lot of money was saved and there is still plenty of room to add to our collections. We were able to add a few things that weren't in the original program budget as a result of that decision." Click here to learn more.
Saving square footage. Saving money. Creating room to grow. Freeing up space for other services. Do these sound as good to you as they do to me? Consider mobile shelving as a possible solution. These universities are happy they did.
Matt Tourdot- Spacesaver Storage Specialist
Is your library running out of room? Visit our academic Library Solutions page or contact one of our library storage specialists to learn more about how mobile shelving can help create more space to think.
For architects and designers working with Revit,
Spacesaver® is where storage gets solved.
Visit our design center Now!
You'll find descriptions, specs, and downloadable 3D objects from Spacesaver Corporation that make it simple to specify compact shelving, storage lockers, weapons storage, evidence lockers, book shelves, and more to integrate innovative storage solutions in your designs.
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as we expand our library of Revit® models for BIM.
Visit us at NeoCon2010 to see real-life storage examples on the tradeshow floor outside the Healthcare Pavilion (8-1004), and in our permanent Showroom (11-117)You'll see the storage solutions you can specify up close and personal.
Read more about how BIM can boost your bottom line!
Part 3: Identify your weapon security requirements.
Have you ever been the one that had to sleep in the armory because part of your weapon storage system was not completely secure? A door broke. A lock malfunctioned. Inproperly ganged racks. Or worse, a weapon unaccounted for. All of these scenarios are avoidable if the right solution is implemented.
First, check if the solution meets or exceeds the physical security requirements for your branch - OPNAVINST 5530.13C or AR 190-11, for example. Also be sure the racks meet security weight requirements of at least 500lbs if/when the racks are ganged together (from top to bottom, side to side and back to back).
Next, check to see if the racks carry NSN numbers. This can be a win-win for you. It not only makes the procurement process easier and quicker, it also allows you to load your weapon racks without the need of a Physical Security Officer inspection. You can load your weapons as soon as they are installed.
You don't have time to worry about security after a solution has been chosen. However, you do need to take the time during the procurement process to assure the solution you are selecting will give you the greatest security and the most piece of mind.
Part 1: Assess your current and incoming weapons inventory.
Part 2: Assess your available weapons storage space.
Next time - Part 4: Determine how your weapons, optics and equipment will be organized and issued.
Brad Tusing - Storage Specialist
One of my co-workers shared this video with me the other day. I found it to be inspiring and relevant so I thought I would pass it on.
If you have trouble viewing the video in your browser click here.
This guy really understands the value of creativity when it comes to saving space and organizing stuff. He gets the power of innovation in the effective use of space. His tiny appartment is cooler, better organized and arguably more user-friendly than most of our much larger spaces.
The issues this gentleman faced are not different than those any of us face everyday. Cramped spaces. Not enough room to put all of our stuff. At work, at home. The equipment room, the warehouse. The storage room down the hall, the file room in the basement. The armory, the stacks in the library. The property room, the tool room. Tight spaces, organizational challenges and storage headaches abound.
We can't all be as creative as Gary Chang. Lucky for us, there are people out there who are and are also willing to help. Even better, chances are pretty good there's one in your city. Contact us and we'll help you find one of the creative and helpful, space-saving experts in your area.
Matt Tourdot - Storage Specialist
Want to learn more about some of the creative space-saving solutions dreamed-up by the storage specialists in the Spacesaver Group? Check out this sampling of case studies.
Part 2: Assess your available weapons storage space.
Most armories aren't given facilities that rival the size of Texas Stadium. Instead you work from buildings that more closely resemble that of a dorm room. When floor space is limited, it is very important to know your options that will maximize every square inch of your area.
Look around! How much wall space can you utilize? Do you prefer to form aisles? Is the building broken up with cages? When space is tight, every inch counts.
In a game of inches, fully retractable doors are a huge advantage. These allow for smaller aisles, opening the room up for more racks and more weapons. Plus, there's nothing worse than banging your knees and head on partially opened doors while issuing weapons.
Consider mounting your racks to mobile carriages, or moveable storage on tracks that condenses down to 50% of the space consumed by static applications. These systems double your armory's storage capacity when you eliminate the need for aisles. Most systems come in manual, mechanical assist and powered options. Powered options can also provide you with another layer of security, as well.
Retractable doors come into play even more importantly when racks are incorporated into mobile systems. Non-retractable doors do not allow for the mobile aisles to close properly when accessing alternate carriages/aisles. Therefore, all the racks need to be closed in the aisle and the racks in the newly accessible aisle need to be reopened. Open, close, open, close, open, close... not a very efficient way to issue anything.
Now look up! How high are your ceilings? Can you stack weapons? Are there sprinklers? These are a few things to consider. Two tiered racks or stacking racks on top of one another is the most common option if the vertical space is available. If not, try storing optics and other equipment above the weapon racks in smaller cabinets.
Still need to pinch some space? Find a solution that truly maximizes the interior use of the cabinet as well as the entire space of the room. Ask about the solutions ability to keep your optics on the weapon while in storage, saving each warfighter the need to re-zero the weapon in each time it is issued. Also, determine the maximum density of the weapon rack. How many M16s can it hold with and without optics? Most fit up to 10 comfortably. Others can store 12 and 15!
In the end, it's all about saving you time and space. Assess your needs and determine the best fit for your operation.
Part 1: Assess your current and incoming weapons inventory.
Next time - Part 3: Identify your security requirements.
Photo provided by hansenlobke's photostream from Flickr
Brad Tusing - Storage Specialist