Are Food Trucks a Possible Terrorist Threat?

The New York City Fire Department has its concerns about the possible terrorism implications of allowing food trucks to roam city streets, according to an internal document obtained by Public Intelligence. The document outlines the "transient hazard" of food trucks, which extends beyond the usual fire safety concerns to note that the trucks travel into high-profile locations — with pedestrian traffic and high-rise buildings, for example — and "can be used as an excellent surveillance platform due to their access and long duration stays."

The presentation gives a couple examples of propane explosions and offers recommendations for responding to an incident involving trucks. It also points out that there's a black market for food truck permits, meaning potential terrorists could get around dealing with the city. Eater NY sums it up: "Basically, the thinking here is that terrorists could hide bombs in food trucks and blow them up near high rise buildings, and no one would suspect this threat, because food trucks are everywhere."

· FDNY Presentation [Public Intelligence via Gizmodo]
· FDNY Looking at How Terrorists Could Use Food Trucks [-ENY-]