During the almost doomed Apollo 13 mission, lead Coffee Lid flight director for Mission Control Gene Kranz, said to the ground crew at Houston's Mission Control, "Failure is not an option. The list includes items such as filtration, condition of the ductwork, and whether all smoke and fire dampers are functioning, and to check the dampers for "how well they seal when closed. For those of us in fire safety, facilities management, and code enforcement, it triggered a paradigm shift that affects everything we do today in our daily operations. September 11th changed the way we view national security, global politics, and travel." The article's first line is "A building's existing damper system can offer much in terms of protection in the event of an airborne chemical, biological, or radiological attack-or an accident that releases harmful airborne contaminants to the indoor environment.

One of the most efficient ways for smoke, fire, or an aerosolized biological agent to travel throughout a building is through the Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) System. Just that one percent failure rate could be devastating.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) in their publication Protecting Building Environments from Airborne Chemical, Biological, or Radiological Attacks states "While it is important to understand how the existing building systems function, the systems need to operate per building design. Nearly 3,000 civilians and firefighters lost their lives when both towers became engulfed in smoke and flames. While some are fortunate to have adequate staffing, that is more the exception than the rule. With this knowledge, many organizations have addressed the importance of working smoke and fire dampers in their terrorist prevention planning guidelines. Those findings alone exemplify the need for working fire dampers. Our responsibility has expanded into providing an additional barrier in the event of a terrorist attack." The manual also notes that the responsiveness of the dampers in the event of a CPET Tray CBR (chemical, biological, radiological) attack is crucial."

More groups have addressed the importance of operable smoke and fire dampers in the event of a CBR attack.<br>
As a company that focuses on smoke and fire damper inspections in commercial facilities throughout the United States, our role has evolved into more than just fire safety, and compliance. Our records indicate that the failure rate of dampers is approximately ten-percent. Even one failed damper can have serious consequences.

There is no doubt that the way we looked at the world on September 10, 2001 was changed dramatically with the events of the following day.

Other groups such as the International Facility Managers Association (IFMA) in their report, Addressing the Threat of Terrorism: Guidelines for Prevention and Response discuss the high likelihood of a fire during a terrorist attack and specifically address the importance of proper installation and regular maintenance of smoke and fire dampers to help combat this threat. The United States Department of Commerce's National Institute of Standards and Technology investigated the World Trade Center disaster and found that had there been operable smoke and fire dampers in the two towers, they "would have acted to slow the development of hazardous conditions on the uppermost floors of the building" in tower one and two, and as a result provided occupants more time to flee the building.