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Members of the Storage Optimization stand in one of their recently reorganized facilities, providing much-needed space for current and upcoming projects. Photo by Michael Schumacher.

Frenzied panic ensues as various cube-shaped blocks descend from some ethereal plane with no rhyme or reason. As the misshapen objects fall one by one faster and faster, stacks piling higher and higher, the player must identify how to move, orient, and ultimately sacrifice space with the hope that new space will be freed.

For most people, they know this as the game Tetris. For Production Stores Managers Robert Spence, Sam Russell, and their team, it’s just another day at the office.

In charge of all receiving, staging, storing, and delivering weapon components to line operations for assembly into nuclear weapons, Spence and Russell have found themselves at the center or, in keeping with the metaphor, the ceiling of their storage capacity for the past several years.

“There was simply not enough space to meet current and future needs,” Spence said. “Not only insufficient space by square footage but also by the type of space needed for the hazards involved and inability to get rid of material no longer needed. In some instances, surplus and/or obsolete inventory was being retained beyond program needs.”

Pantex is scheduled to begin work on several more projects over the next few years, and there will be need for even more storage space in the near future to prepare. With such limited space and time to work with, accepting defeat and the proverbial “game over” were simply not options.

“Along with Program Management, an optimization project was initiated to look at capacity and all the challenges, to ensure future space would be available,” Spence said. “Schedules and metrics were established to set priorities and monitor progress.”

With the team working together to evaluate needs and formulate a plan, they took steps to acquire materials and better utilize the currently provided storage space to meet the required standards of production and scheduling.

“By reducing the overall amount of inventory onsite, focusing tactically on certain types of material, and optimizing the current space, we are able to take all the new incoming material to meet mission needs well into the future,” Spence said.
The new space will continue to provide Pantex with sufficient storage capability for the foreseeable future.

Another part of the plan was to increase the already available storage space to prevent the potential for a similar situation to present itself in the future.

“Strategically, we have worked hard to look at what our future needs are versus the space we currently occupy and project the needs out at least five to ten years,” Spence said. “As we continue work to reduce, optimize, and right-size the storage space, we should be in great shape moving forward. This will include the addition of two new facilities.”

Much like a game of Tetris, when the walls seem to be closing in and fewer and fewer useful pieces make themselves available, the panic and frustration can begin to grow. In these cases, there really is only one thing to be done.

“As with most organizations, there are many challenges – all different and unique,” Spence said. “The first step was to identify the problem/need, then work with the groups that could help us move toward the end goals with the support of management. To date, it has worked out very well and should continue to be a bright spot for Pantex.”

Pete Lopez doesn’t mince words.

“I knew what I was signing up for. It’s a risk-reward job. Of course there are risks involved, but there is so much reward knowing what we contribute to and what that means.”

Lopez has gained and employed a wealth of knowledge and experience in his 54 years serving the Pantex mission. He carries himself well, tells a story like an old friend, and has an infectious smile that reminds you nothing is ever as bad as it seems. Maybe that’s because Lopez himself truly knows that nothing really is ever as bad as it seems.

“I grew up in a little town called Munday, Texas. I was number 9 out of 10 kids. I got a scholarship to North Texas State for drama out of high school, but we were very poor so it just didn’t feel like a real option.”

Perhaps it was this moment where Lopez first learned the delicate balance between risk and reward.

The risk:

“I had a friend who had gotten drafted to fight over in Vietnam. I knew I was going to get drafted too, so instead of college I just went and signed up. It was good for me, though. It made me grow up fast.”

The reward:

“I used to think we had it really bad being so poor when I was growing up, but … when I got to Vietnam and saw people eating scraps wherever they could find them, it started to change my mind. I met a kid down there who was about my size. I wrote my mom and told her to send me all of my clothes to give to him. It was just a different world.”

After Vietnam, Lopez found himself at a crossroads. The year was 1972, and at 22 years old the young man who had to grow up much faster than most found himself on the road that led to Pantex.

“I was in a conversation with somebody and they asked me ‘have you ever thought about going to work out at that bomb plant?’ I said, ‘bomb plant? What’re you talking about?’ I’d never heard of any bomb plant.”

A short time later, Lopez found himself at the old bomb plant, just not where you would expect.

“I started out in the kitchen,” he remembered as he cracks a smile that quickly gives way to a chuckle. “Eventually they put in a new grill and I was the hamburger cooker.”

While he enjoyed this role, the calling to something greater presented itself. There again he met his old friends, Risk and Reward.

The risk:

“I bid out and became what was then called an assembly operator. (We call them PTs now.) This was back in the ‘70s. The Cold War was still going on, and we knew it was an important job. We knew what we were building and how important it was. It was a different world back then. It’s serious now, but it really felt serious then.”

The reward:

“I enjoyed what we were doing. I couldn’t wait to get to work every day. I still enjoy, it to this day. The standard was to take every day very seriously. I remember saying ‘we got boys on the other side of that water, and if we have to use these things, the ones with my name on them, those better work. I took pride in my work. That was important to me.”

Over a half-century later, Lopez is now settling into the twilight of his career. His life lessons don’t stop once he leaves the site. At home, having raised two sons, and watching as his three grandchildren will soon face the crossroads he did decades ago, he does his best to teach them the value of each day.

Currently, Lopez serves as a quality assurance technician in Satellite Operations where he relishes the role of passing on his immense knowledge and experience to the ones who will follow.

“I do my best to train all of the new people the way they need to be trained. You can’t overemphasize the importance of the job we do. You gotta make sure you do it right. You gotta take pride in your work.”

When all is said and done, Lopez can look back on his life knowing that each time he weighed the risk, and the reward, the risk was never as significant as the infinite growth that would come his way.

The reward:

“When I started out, I was just so blessed and put with really good people, people who did everything the right way. Everybody supported you; you could reach out to anyone for guidance. That’s what I try to do for those new ones that come to me.”

If Lopez has proven anything, whether it be to himself or those who get to know him. It’s that the only real risk in life is never taking a risk at all.

Pantex is home to a large, well-trained team of security police officers, otherwise known as the ProForce. But there are five members of this dedicated team that stick out from the rest. They don’t swipe badges or carry radios, but they do love a good treat. With noses trained sharper than any sensor and loyalty that can’t be taught, these team members are a powerful reminder that sometimes the best security comes with a fur coat and a wagging tail. Enter the good boys and girls of Pantex: Chief, Hazel, Alo, Stryker, and Hunter.

Canine units offer unique capabilities that greatly augment human efforts in various missions. Their senses are significantly more sensitive than those of people, enabling them to detect subtle scents associated with a variety of substances, even in challenging conditions or when items are concealed. Much like people, the dogs all have their strengths and bring different skills to the table.

“Some dogs might struggle with low hides, deep hides, or high hides,” K-9 Handler Wesley Wood said. “It’s very important that we spend time getting to know them so we can encourage their strengths.”

Their specialized sensory input allows for rapid and precise detection that is unattainable through human observation or technological means alone. They possess super agility, endurance, and a natural ability to navigate complex terrains, making them incredibly valuable to rescue operations, tracking, and perimeter security.

“The dogs are an incredible asset to Pantex and our protection strategy,” K-9 Operation Manager Captain Bobby Ovalle said. “They work in tandem with our current protective posture and make for excellent partners to our security police officers.”

These officers exhibit a great sense of pride in their work and every handler is quick to say how much their dogs “love their job.”

“Hunter loves to work. He loves doing a good job and you can always tell that he walks like he owns the place when he finds an odor or does a good job,” K-9 Handler Cali Bernard said.

But just like people, the dogs like to decompress. They love a variety of activities like hiking, swimming, going to Home Depot or Lowe’s, and, in Chief’s case, napping on the couch.

Canine units are a powerful reminder of the benefits of collaboration. Their presence provides a psychological deterrent and their behavioral traits allow for them to contribute to mission success in ways that complement and enhance our physical security requirements. When it comes to protecting the site, they really have a nose for it.

As Pantex continues to develop its drone aviation program, the site’s fleet is being employed in new, exciting ways.

“With our current drones, we are doing 3D modeling,” explained Infrastructure and Projects Director Ryan George. “The first is of the water tower, with a goal of providing Projects Engineering a complete 3D model. There’s a project to improve the ladder and access. Using the drones to complete that model means people don’t have to climb up there — it’s a safety issue.”

George makes a crucial point about the drones’ safety benefit, yet that alone isn’t the driving force behind them.

“Drone inspections started out as a Plant-Directed Research and Development project I proposed,” said Reliability Programs Performance Analyst Tony Burks. “We have a lot of aging infrastructure and they’re starting to get damaged — cracks and so forth. It’s getting hard to track all that damage.”

So, how do the drones compile data on aging infrastructure?

“We use the drones’ 3D rendering software,” Burks said. “Using AI, it will go take all the images, and we put that into a software … that lets us calculate distances to within centimeters. Over time, we can look and see if there’s any damage, discolorations, or rust that’s formed and is starting to grow.”

The longer-term idea, as Burks described it, is to create three-dimensional models of Pantex buildings. The use of these models varies from helping Infrastructure to Safeguards and Security and beyond.

“If you do a 3D model of facilities once a year, basically, you can provide indications of settling or structural issues,” George said.

The more use cases that crop up for drones, the more varied, too, is the hardware employed. After all, not all drones operate in the skies above.

“Our domestic water tanks — any of your freshwater tanks — have a five-year inspection environment,” George said. “So, we either have to put a human being in dive gear or we have to drain the tank completely; do the inspection, the cleanup, and refill the tank; or, if we have an inspection drone, we can just put it in the tank.”

It seems when it comes to drones, the sky isn’t the limit — the imagination is.

The six women of Pantex Operations. From L to R: Whitney Conner, Jordan Payton, Adriene Marcos Ott, Daphne Gann, Juanita Jones, and Crystal Ybarra

At Pantex, we build bombs.

We build them safely, we build them efficiently, we build them with quality. From the minds behind designing efforts, the analysis required for testing, and the hands that put them together, national security is our mission.

When it comes to efficiency, Pantex’s Production Section Managers (PSMs) work diligently to make sure that work remains on schedule, that their respective teams know what the plan is, and what is expected of them.

In this unique industry that has been made up mostly of men from various mechanical and technical backgrounds, Operations PSMs Whitney Conner, Daphne Gann, Juanita Jones, Adriene Marcos Ott, Jordan Payton, and Crystal Ybarra make up the growing female production leadership at the plant.

From being a former a schoolteacher, auto mechanic, x-ray technician, or body shop technician, their various career paths led them to the operations world of Pantex where their work and accomplishments presented them with an opportunity to lead.

Women in operations leadership are rare, but these six have set the example that by having the interest, obtaining the skills, and exemplifying leadership in their daily work, they don’t have to be.

So, what do these six leaders have to say about women in leadership, their work experiences, and their best advice for those who aspire to serve in leadership?

Why is it so important to have women in leadership?
Whitney Conner: It’s easy to box yourself in on what jobs you can and cannot do. Seeing women out there every day working in leadership roles is a way to show other women that these jobs are out there and available.

Daphne Gann: It provides different perspectives, viewpoints, and experiences along with more robust discussions that lead to better decision making.

Juanita Jones: I think it introduces a diverse perspective. It allows us to serve as role models for those who have the traits to lead, but may not feel that they can. It’s important for us to step into these roles.

Adriene Marcos Ott: It is critical because diverse lived experiences lead to more balanced and effective decision making. Different perspectives are especially valuable when navigating complex or sensitive situations.

Jordan Payton: I think it provides representation for other females. We can bring in more conversations from a different perspective which benefits the entire group.

Crystal Ybarra: I feel like female leaders can bring different perspectives and experiences, whether it be in life or on the job. We bring different problem-solving skills to the workplace which can introduce different approaches to any particular scenario.

What is the best advice you received as you prepared for leadership?
Crystal Ybarra: Ask the question. In a position such as a PSM, one encounters so many new situations. The courage to ask the question is imperative for growth and effective decision making.

How did the Pantex culture prepare, and motivate you to take the step into a leadership role?
Whitney Conner: It’s amazing for people who want to find new opportunities. There’s always an opportunity to move around within the Pantex workforce. I’d seen the supervisor job post and knew from speaking with other leaders throughout the south end that I was ready to take on that role.

What advice would you offer other female employees who aspire to serve in positions of leadership?
Daphne Gann: Don’t be intimidated. You can do what you put your mind to. As long as you lead by example you will succeed.

Did you ever see yourself in a leadership role? Or did it first become an opportunity while at Pantex?
Juanita Jones: I never aspired to be a PSM. It took encouragement and recognition from another female leader before I noticed the leadership qualities in myself.

How have your experiences working within your departments prepared you to lead?
Adriene Marcos Ott: Having started as a technician in the SNM (Special Nuclear Material) department, I bridge the gap between management strategy and technician execution. This allows me to spot potential operational issues before they occur because I understand the technical realities my team faces every day.

What was a challenge of moving into a leadership role?
Jordan Payton: I think for me, it’s that I wasn’t a tech before. I didn’t feel adequate not having the knowledge of day-to-day operations like others. Having trustworthy peers remind me of my potential gave me the courage to apply for it.

Whether through challenge, opportunity, or walking the border of their comfort zone, these six leaders prove that their hard work and determination are an inspiration to all and their stories a roadmap to what we are capable of.

Safety Analyst Kennedy Venneman enjoys working alongside people committed to going the extra mile for Pantex’s mission and the safety of others.

“The work that we do at the plant is truly unmatched,” said Safety Analyst Kennedy Venneman. “We have incredible scientists, engineers, and technicians who have established the benchmark for excellence in our field. It's an honor to be part of it.”

In many ways, the newness of Pantex hasn’t worn off for Venneman, four years into her career. As she considered the work community, the site’s unique mission and camaraderie filled her with warmth and pride.

“Pantex often feels like its own world,” she said, “and I take great pride in being a part of that world. It is incredible to think that there are thousands of us, in the tiny Texas Panhandle, who show up physically and mentally every day — on the hard days, on the weekends, and even on the holidays — to support something bigger than ourselves. These are my people.”

In choosing Pantex as her people, Venneman departed from four generations of farming and ranching.

“Although I took a different career path, it has greatly shaped who I am today,” she said. “My parents are my biggest inspirations. They have always invested in me and whatever I set my mind to.”

That commitment to support and encouragement is an important facet of Venneman’s life and something she sees embodied in Pantex culture.

“I really enjoy getting to work alongside some of my favorite people,” she said. “It’s more than just colleagues; it’s a supportive community where we help each other reach our goals. These relationships make every day more fulfilling.”

Venneman values being more than colleagues with fellow Pantexans. The importance of both mission and safety reinforce to her the importance of working alongside people she can count on to always be at their best.

“Our group benefits from a diverse range of skill sets,” Venneman said. “Teamwork is integral to our group, as it allows us to collectively leverage our knowledge and different experiences to address new questions and emerging issues.

“Pride in your work reflects a personal commitment to excellence, and it is essential to keep this high standard and mindset alive.”

What is your top bucket list item, and why?
My top item right now would probably be custom-building a barndominium. Growing up, my mom and I would always watch home-renovation shows, and I’d love the opportunity to customize something of my own from the ground up.

What advice would you give to a new employee?
Use your uncleared or training period to your advantage by making as many connections as you can. Don’t limit yourself to just your immediate team; network across various departments.

What has been your proudest moment at Pantex to date?
While not a personal achievement, the Pantex Wildfire Relief fundraiser in spring 2024 stands out as a ‘Pantex Proud’ moment for me. Having grown up in the Texas Panhandle, it’s incredibly rewarding to support our local communities whenever possible.

When Occupational Nursing Specialist Summer Kelly joined the Pantex team in October, she brought with her over two decades of healthcare experience and a deep commitment to service.

In the aftermath of 9/11, while communities grappled with loss and trauma, Kelly served by working at the Oklahoma Blood Institute. The healthcare community’s work during this time exemplified the true meaning of mission delivery and answering the call to serve without hesitation.

“I witnessed the raw emotion of society and the vast amount of people who lined up wanting to donate blood no matter how long the donation lines were.”

Nearly two decades later, she served as an emergency room and intensive care nurse during the COVID-19 pandemic, giving vital support to her patients. As healthcare systems strained and the world faced unprecedented challenges, the healthcare teams were tasked with remaining calm and continuing to deliver care under extraordinary conditions.

“During that time, hospital personnel became the only family patients had due to the circumstances.”

Kelly’s dedication extends beyond her professional duties to community engagement. Her family has resided in White Deer for 20 years, during which she has also been involved with emergency medical services and employed by White Deer Independent School District.

Having worked on the front lines during two of the most defining public health crises of our time, she answered the call to serve with courage, compassion, and unwavering dedication. Kelly’s dedication is evident in her journey to Pantex; she applied 36 times before securing her current role in the medical department. She values the camaraderie within her team and considers her acceptance into the department her proudest professional moment.

Why is Pantex’s mission important to you?
The Pantex mission is important to me because of the long history it has in regards to national security.

Why is teamwork important?
Being able to work as a team and collaborate betters a company as a whole and makes for an improved working environment. As a medical professional, being able to work as a team and delegate tasks results in the best outcome for the patient.

Do you volunteer or remain actively engaged in the community? How so?
I have been a part of the White Deer City Council since 2017. I was very honored to be voted into the council at the election in May. I take pride in being tasked with community concerns and helping address situations in the best interest of the people the committee represents.

What advice would you give to a new employee?
The advice I would give to an applicant or a new hire employee is be persistent, don’t give up, and accept any critiques and criticism as part of the stepping stones for your job and self-improvement.

Thousands of dedicated Pantex citizens like Allie Bridenbaugh work every day to support the Pantex mission. Take three minutes to learn about who she is, what she does, and why she is proud to be a Pantexan.

What is the number of current Pantex employees? What is my organization’s attrition rate? How many Pantexans have master’s degrees? These are not questions on an episode of Pantex-themed Jeopardy. These are the questions that make up Allie Bridenbaugh’s day-to-day. As a Human Resources data analyst, she’s a professional metric-maker and spreadsheet wizard providing HR analytics and tools for organizations across the plant.

Providing answers to these seemingly simple questions is actually quite complicated, but Bridenbaugh enjoys the challenge.

“The everyday work here allows for a lot of knowledge to be gained,” she said. “It can be challenging at times, but overall, it is one of my favorite things about working at Pantex. When it comes to the work I do, I want people to trust that the information I give is accurate and complete.“

Bridenbaugh started out in Project Controls, where she gained her passion for data. That led her to pursue further education in information systems and business analytics, ultimately landing her the job in HR where she has worked for the past two years.

“I found that I really enjoyed visualizing data and understanding the underlying structure of the data to find innovative new solutions,” Bridenbaugh said. “My proudest moments happen when I realized I have gained mastery over something that had at one point felt hopeless. At Pantex, this has happened more times than I can count.”

While Bridenbaugh says “pride” isn’t something she strives for, she is proud to be a Pantexan because of the caliber of people at the site, citing both their goodness and resilience.

“When I say I am a Pantexan I am also saying I care, I work hard, and I am capable,” she said.

Why is it important we hold ourselves accountable in our daily tasks?
Accountability is really important to me. It helps establish trust with those around me, and it keeps me vigilant about the quality of my work. Knowing that my work is a reflection of me is a huge motivator.

Why is being open to learn from others critical for mission success?
You don’t know what you don’t know, and that is especially true at Pantex. Everyone I have met here has had something to teach me, so I try to be a sponge when others talk.

What’s your favorite outside-of-work activity?
I used to take classes at a local gym called Flying Fitness where I participate in the aerial arts, but when I do it there is not much aerial or art involved. It is still very fun, though!

Facility Engineer Brandon Black, left, and Reliability Engineering Manager Nick Stephens describe how Pantex uses infrared thermography to identify failing power cables outside the North Main Substation.

Planned power outages are nothing new to Pantexans. When such events occur, though, how do site engineers identify what equipment is properly operating and what might require replacement?

“Before every electrical outage, we have to go out and inspect the manholes to examine the equipment that provides power to every facility,” explained Reliability Engineering Manager Nick Stephens. “We use infrared thermography to see if there are problems with the plant’s electrical distribution system.”

Infrared (IR) thermography, also known as thermal imaging, uses a heat-sensitive camera to detect infrared radiation coming from a given source, with the goal of trying to restore power, to extend equipment life, and to provide the best possible maintenance for Pantex devices and infrastructure.

But while the issue with the power cables was a problem, Stephens said it was not the problem.

“We were having to contract that work out,” he said. “That was causing delays, always being dependent on someone else.”

Facility Engineer Brandon Black recalled the frustration but said having the added in-house capability is paying dividends.

“Having the equipment and trained personnel on-site to perform the IR scans is a great benefit,” Black said. “We are able to perform these scans quickly based on emergent issues or operational needs, rather than being constrained by a contractor’s schedule or availability.”

Implementing IR thermography was more than just overcoming the latest obstacle, though. Stephens said the desire to bring IR thermography capability to Pantex had always been an objective.

“One of the cores of reliability engineering, as a discipline, is infrared thermography,” he said. “As we started seeing more outages and connections catastrophically failing, it drove a need for the plant to be more proactive to these situations.”

But how has reliability engineering evolved from a discipline exercised within one group to its own department within Pantex Engineering?

“Reliability Engineering at Pantex probably came about three years ago,” explained Infrastructure and Projects Director Ryan George. “The group was under Infrastructure and managed the preventive maintenance (PM) program. As we began to look at predictive maintenance and other technologies, the group was moved to Engineering, and we have been hiring experienced engineers ever since.”

The premise, according to George, is to take a more proactive approach to problem-solving, looking for predictive ways to perform condition-based maintenance.

“We’re always trying to find just the right amount of maintenance to keep everything running without interfering with people’s work,” George said.

Pantex reliability engineers are the men and women whose technical expertise equips them to dive into things like thermal images to diagnose problems when they happen.

“While we contracted IR Scanning out, we didn’t retain those thermal images,” Stephens said. “Consequently, any subsequent in-depth analysis of an issue would be contingent upon receiving responsive information from the contractor.”

He said the decision to bring IR thermography capability to Pantex dramatically sped up outage investigations, facilitating faster repairs.

“Taking away that need to contract out gives us freedom to schedule our maintenance and our actions when we need to,” Stephens said. “Now, there’s only a two- or three-day delay in taking the images, receiving them back from Engineering and getting a report out in a day or two. It really speeds things up.”

Black said Pantex having its own engineers and equipment enables the plant to better monitor trends in a given piece or collection of equipment, planning future maintenance and life cycles accordingly.

“With the reliability engineers analyzing the images and preparing the reports,” he said, “we’ll be able to have a standardized IR scan report with consistent information that will be used to monitor equipment history.”

George said having a dedicated team of engineers committed to making sure Pantex and its federal customer receives the greatest value and productivity for its investment is vital, especially in light of the greater workload coming in the near future.

“We have about 15,000 PMs that we control,” he said. “That number will continue to grow as we bring on new facilities and so one of our major efforts is to make sure we are doing what we should be doing. At Pantex, we have so much work to do; we don’t want to waste time doing PMs that aren’t valuable.”

Pantex has upgraded its mass notification alert system to Everbridge.

Change can be hard. Like when a restaurant phases out your favorite dish or the speed limit changes on the road to your house. But change can also be good. Like when a new dessert is added to the menu or the new speed limit results in fewer crashes. Change can be a temporary setback or a path forward. Things may be available one day and not the next, but oftentimes something improved comes along in its place. Technology is no different. Technology is constantly evolving — and Pantex is evolving with it.

When the current mass-notification technology phased out in February, Pantex transitioned to a new system called Everbridge. The public warning tool broadcasts targeted messages during daily operations and emergencies through plant pager, phone, text, email, or other real-time alerts. The mass-notification upgrade enhances an already solid emergency services foundation by implementing one of the top public warning tools on the market.

The switch to a new system optimizes emergency resources by ensuring the plant population and off-site emergency planning partners can be notified as quickly as possible during a crisis or other situations requiring an alert notification.

“We have an opportunity to make great advances, a leap in the technology and tools for emergency services,” Emergency Services Advisor Kyle Brӓck said. “Upgrades like this can potentially reduce consequences in emergency situations.”

Staying up-to-date, enhancing communication platforms, and having the right technology is imperative to mission execution. First responders having the tools they need to do their job benefits all organizations across the plant; that's why upgrading emergency services technology is so important, Brӓck explains.

“We are poised for significant enhancements and improvements that elevate our situational awareness and provides a common operational picture for protecting the triad — people, plant, and the environment,” Brӓck said.

This initiative supports the mission by improving communication, and consequently response, in the event of an emergency.

“As with all technology, it’s constantly evolving. It’s not just a good idea to upgrade — we have to,” Brӓck said. “Systems are phased out and technology can stop functioning. It’s important the site evolves with the constant upgrades to enhance emergency response and ultimately maintain whole-site protection.”

Upgrading the mass-communication system was identified as a site priority as part of the Pantex Strategic Agenda. This enhanced visibility of the project enabled backing by senior leadership to get all necessary organizations involved to successfully implement Everbridge. Work on this project and other planned major advancements span multiple organizations and specialty groups including Safeguards, Security, and Emergency Services; Engineering; Information Technology (IT); Infrastructure; and more.

“When it comes to saving lives, seconds matter,” IT Project Manager Ryan Laughlin said. “That’s especially true when you’re replacing an end-of-life, out-of-support technology that Emergency Services relies on. You don’t have any other option but to work well together as a team to deliver with high quality.”

Nearly every faction of IT was involved in the mass-notification system upgrade. Laughlin says the team effort helps Pantexans advance the workability of their systems and provide advanced capabilities site-wide.

“If we have a modern emergency notifications system, we have the flexibility to adapt to any emergency situation with speed and agility, enhancing safety for everyone,” Laughlin said.

This is the first of many safety-related technology upgrade projects. Other advancements include replacing the video wall in the Emergency Operations Center, installing cameras across the site to allow for better situational awareness, installing direct communication connection to the Alternate Emergency Operations Center, and implementing wireless capabilities for firefighters.

Pantex emphasizes safety first –– safety of the people who work at the plant, safety of the mission, and safety of the environment. The recipe to get the job done may change, but safety will always be the main ingredient.