In June 2019, a group representing terrorism survivors called upon the Home Office to require all venues and public spaces to prepare a dedicated security plan in case of a terrorist attack. At an event to launch the “Martyn’s Law” campaign, Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham said, “Security against terror attacks at venues should be mandatory not discretionary.”
As the Manchester Arena bombing tragically proved, major events such as pop concerts, sporting events, festivals and public celebrations offer an environment where just one individual could pose a significant threat to the well-being of spectators, staff and the general public operating in and around the vicinity. While these threats could be real or a hoax, the agencies charged with security cannot take any risks given recent experiences at events, write Stuart Gray, Head of Business Development – Training Support Group at MASS, and Mark Harbin, Business Development Manager at Marlborough Communications Limited.
Having thorough checks in place, knowing how to spot suspicious behaviour and conducting regular contingency rehearsal scenarios will speed up effective response times, deter those planning attacks and ensure staff are much better prepared in the event of an incident, all of which can potentially save lives.
While it is not yet a matter of law, it is clear that contingency planning, incident rehearsal and specialist training is vital for anyone involved in hosting or supporting a major event.
Mammoth organisation
Because of the scale and nature of these occasions, many disparate agencies – businesses, organising committees, government departments and emergency services – are usually involved. This means coordinating the contingency planning is no small feat and identifying key stakeholders early on is extremely important.
For contingency planning to succeed there must be effective command, control, coordination, communications and intelligence. Synergies between these functions and risk management strategies must be developed. This can be challenging when dealing with different working practices, systems, people, congested networks, and lack of a common language. Other issues facing a multi-agency response at a large event could include dispersed multiple venues, local authority primacy, different laws and standards applied by stakeholders and, most crucially, differing operating parameters (hardware, software, procedures, language, principles) used by all parties.
The only way to identify and resolve the areas requiring an integrated response is robust contingency planning well in advance of the event. A comprehensive risk register, if necessary, at multiple security classifications, will provide the basis for scenarios which can be used to rehearse the constituent organisations required to respond to an incident at the event. The rehearsal will demonstrate how to prevent crises from accelerating and maintain control of the environment, thus seizing and holding the initiative. While such rehearsals will never simulate every conceivable scenario outcome and enable a plan for every eventuality, they will enable key stakeholder planning to be undertaken, which highlights the flow of information required. It will also create common operating procedures and pictures to ensure an all-informed environment in which all agencies can maximise their tempo. Rehearsals ensure a familiarity between each company and organisation involved, building a network of key personnel who can be contacted by proven means if their area of expertise is required in response to an unforeseen crisis. Thorough contingency scenario rehearsals will highlight who commands at what level, enabling risk assessments, mitigation plans and control matrices to be agreed upon and, most importantly, proactive up-front training and engagement to build confidence and minimise risk.
London 2012
A good example of this in practice was the planning and exercises that took place ahead of the London Olympics in 2012. An organisation was set up in 2009 charged with testing and exercising the safety and security of the games. However, in early 2011 it became apparent to the Olympic Committee of the Cabinet Office that the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games (LOCOG) and other organisations tasked with co-ordinating the overall preparations for the Games would need to rehearse the integration of their crisis responses with the agencies charged with the security and safety arrangements.
The Home Office arranged, with support from MASS, a series of contingency rehearsal events at the command and control level to confirm effective coordination of a timely response in the event of a diverse range of scenarios. The first training event highlighted that there were many more organisations with a role to play than had been initially identified. This was rectified through buy-in from those agencies and the final rehearsal exercise involving over 5,000 representatives from more than 260 organisations and agencies including the emergency services, Transport for London, local authorities, the Armed Forces, LOCOG and many Government departments and organisations.
Help from above
As organisations think through their security policies and procedures, it is vital they also consider how emerging technologies can assist them. For example, over the coming years, it is expected that drones, or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), will become a key tool in providing ongoing surveillance, and responding to emergencies. They can act as a ‘third eye’ positioned metres up in the air, enhancing the effectiveness and safety of crews on the ground, and mitigating associated risks to prevent threat to life, property or surrounding areas.
From a crowd management perspective, UAV technology can prove useful in highlighting pathways with capacity and routes that are becoming problematic where the flow of people needs to be monitored and crowds directed accordingly. In the event of a major incident, the drone fulfils an essential role in directing first responders to any incidents using a real-time feed of the surrounding area and crowd movements. For medical emergencies, the time saving that this data provides can make a life or death difference to the person requiring medical attention.
UAV technology can also be a highly valuable tool during a criminal or terrorist attack. The thermal camera and agile nature of the drone can track an assailant through a crowd, identify the routes to and from the scene and provide a perspective on the nearby crowds that need to be managed towards safety. In collaboration with the police and responding organisations, the aerial viewpoint can identify routes and risks that are not clearly visible on the ground and allow the services to plan accordingly.
Turning data into actionable intelligence
While UAVs can transform military and public safety operations, it’s crucial to recognise that on their own they are simply sensors in the sky. The information gathered by a drone needs to be fused with data from other sources such as human eyewitness and interpretation, communications from police on the ground or CCTV, and turned into actionable intelligence.
Security operations are at risk if the infrastructure isn’t there to fuse together the disparate information and interpret it to enable rapid decision making on the ground. It can be difficult to cross-reference data coming from multiple sources without the help of intelligent data management systems, which can make a major difference in achieving a timely, effective response to an incident.
There are complexities surrounding these new technologies – we don’t live in a police state and there is a fine line between respecting people’s freedoms and protecting them. Data storage is also a sensitive subject with significant legal constraints since GDPR came into force. Having said this, technology has a big part to play in maximising security at major events so long as people know how to use it effectively and what to do with the information gathered. To achieve this, training is again vital.
If organisations are going to take their responsibilities seriously in terms of contingency planning and security, they need a combination of modern, integrated technology, trained people and proven crisis response practises. It is essential they get the right information to the right people in the right place at the right time to cause the right effect. Only specialist multi-agency collective training, robust planning and smart technology choices can achieve this.
About the firms
MASS is a technology company which specialises in training support, electronic warfare, data integration and cyber security. MCL is a supplier of electronic communications, information systems and signals intelligence technology to the defence and security sectors. Both companies are part of the Cohort Group.
