Public Health, Safety, and Security for Mass Gatherings

Download or read book Public Health, Safety, and Security for Mass Gatherings written by and published by . This book was released on 2008 with total page 65 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Mass gatherings pose special challenges in terms of management and control, especially considering their value as targets for terrorism. The terrorist goal of attacking in order to kill and injure the most people and have the greatest impact for the least amount of effort applies to mass gatherings; large-scale mass gatherings need to be protected in the post-9/11 world. Mass gatherings can be categorized in a number of different ways. Mass gatherings occur over different periods of time. Mass gatherings can also be categorized according to whether they are designated National Special Security Events (NSSEs) or non-NSSEs. The declaration as an NSSE carries with it a large commitment of Federal funding and other resources, as well as the leadership and management of the U.S. Secret Service of all security matters, including security planning. Whether mass gatherings are declared NSSEs or not, they can be so large and prolonged that they take on many of the characteristics of a city. These characteristics include population density, the need for law enforcement and first responder resources to manage crises, and the physical infrastructure of the venues themselves. Mass gatherings may present an attractive set of targets to terrorists when they incorporate patriotic and or military activities; corporate advertisements; governmental sponsorship; and large-scale television broadcasts. The threat to such venues is real and believed to be rising. On a bipartisan basis, Committee Staff visited and examined a number of mass gathering locations with different characteristics and challenges. It is clear that support personnel at these venues are doing the best they can with what they have, and that their efforts are commendable. However, personnel supporting non-NSSEs need assistance in three particular areas: countering biological threats, collaborative planning, and partnering across sectors.