Transportation to and from any special event can be a challenge, but there are additional requirements that must be met for events of national significance with the highest level of security. In the United States, the Federal Highway Administration provides checklists, publications, and even peer-to-peer support for professionals tasked with planning such events.
Criticality, accessibility, recuperability, vulnerability, effect, and recognizability - all are essential elements that help identify risks and determine a course of action to protect potential targets of terrorist activity. By identifying risks and creating a "buffer zone" to protect valuable infrastructure, special events such as football games at The Ohio State University can continue to be as safe as possible.
As tall ships sailed into port, the U.S. Navy's Blue Angels flew overhead, and visitors filled the streets, the 2012 Sailabration in Baltimore, Maryland, became not only an official celebration but also a unique special event that required the collaboration, cooperation, and combined talents of hundreds of local volunteers and scores of senior officials.
Decision makers cannot use a one-size-fits-all solution to build their resilience plans. Before choosing a single solution, light must be shed on some of the more complex aspects of resilience analysis as well as several issues relevant to the implementation of resilience principles - and various combinations thereof.
In the current economy, there is a continuing need to find cost-effective solutions for responding to and dealing with future threats. Cloud computing provides an innovative and effective way to meet the information needs of decision makers by storing and analyzing vast amounts of real-time data when coping with major disasters and other emergencies.
The cost of updating the U.S. electrical grid structure is high, but the cost of not updating it is even higher. When assessing risks and setting goals, leaders must make tough decisions in order to develop an efficient, cost-effective system with standardized and interchangeable parts that can be shared among and between jurisdictions.
Terrorist threats of radiological/nuclear attacks continue to raise concern at all levels of government. To assist state and local responders during "surge" events, the Domestic Nuclear Detection Office maintains detection units that can be deployed, along with laboratory personnel, to supplement the jurisdictions' existing radiological and nuclear detection capabilities and resources.
Law enforcement officers secure the scene, hazmat teams enter the hot zone, emergency medical technicians transport victims, and emergency room doctors and nurses receive patients following a radiological incident. Each responder plays an important role, but each requires a different level of protection, which is dictated by different standards. Resources are available to help determine the best protection.
Situational awareness and information sharing are key factors in the guidelines recommended for mitigating terrorist threats. By developing the standards and policies needed to train all employees to recognize and report suspicious activity - and regularly reassessing such training - mass transit agencies can build a strong front line of defense and reduce current vulnerabilities.
Washington Nationals' owner Mark Lerner recently told The Washington Times that his team "would love to host a future All-Star Game." That honor, though, would require extensive preparations to ensure the safety and security of people in and around the nation's capital. Fortunately, the Federal Highway Administration has many useful plans and programs available to assist with such preparations.
