Office of Operations
21st Century Operations Using 21st Century Technologies

Event Execution

Good Practices

The Big Picture

  • First use of Emergency Support Function 18 incorporating among others, Business Executives for National Security (BENS), creating a public-private partnership in emergency management.  (2004 DNC, DNC Traffic Management Plan)
  • A spin-off of the national group called BENS was formed in Denver.  They were called the Colorado Emergency Preparedness Partnership (CEPP).  It was a volunteer organization of interested businesses in the downtown area.  They had a single representative in the EOC to assist with private sector coordination.  They proved to be a very valuable resource.  One example was that the day before the DNC started, the Secret Service asked for a list of all downtown construction sites and what sort of materials they had on them.  CEPP made the contacts and put the list together within 24 hours.  (2008 DNC, The 2008 DNC - Lessons Learned for Emergency Management, IAEM Annual Conference)
  • Stay focused on the primary mission throughout the execution period.  (2009 Super Bowl, Tampa Bay Regional Public Safety Sub-Committee Super Bowl XLIII After-Action Report)
  • Have random searches of all baggage, briefcases, packs, and boxes.  (2004 DNC, Presentation on Transportation Planning for the 2004 DNC Fleet Center, Boston)

Internal Management Issues

  • Keep police and staff on very extended stays, as shifting staff in and out could present a security issue.  (2000 DNC, NSSE Web Conference)
  • Man the Incident Command Center in your TMC 24/7, Wednesday through Friday.  (2009 G-20 Summit, NSSE Web Conference)
  • Station personnel at the MACC.  (2009 G-20 Summit, NSSE Web Conference)
  • State Police played a major role in assisting each agency with adequate staffing to support roadway, bridge, and tunnel assets.  (2004 DNC, 2004 DNC Briefing for Commissioner)

Outreach

  • Send media alerts, and have media distribute information.  (2008 RNC, NSSE Web Conference)
  • Used ITS devices to alert motorists to the ramps that would be closed into the City of Pittsburgh off of the Interstate.  (2009 G-20 Summit, NSSE Web Conference)
  • The downtown district sends an e-mail blast to all of the businesses and downtown workers to inform them on road closures.  (2004 Super Bowl, NSSE Web Conference)
  • Use Twitter to report on road closures.  (Various events in Seattle, NSSE Web Conference)

Training

  • Review and coordinate processes that allow access to closed roads during NSSEs.  In conducting this review, ESF-1 should leverage planned efforts to better incorporate modeling to assess and exercise road closing scenarios in special events.  (2009 Presidential Inauguration, 2009 Presidential Inauguration Regional After-Action Report Summary)

Event-Specific

  • Work with event organizers to use “back door” routes that few people know of as a way to get dignitaries to and from the event.  Have that access be separate from public access into the facility.  (2004 Super Bowl, NSSE Web Conference)
  • Stop freight when dignitaries are in the City.  (2009 G-20 Summit, NSSE Web Conference)
  • Sweep all delegate buses and place a uniformed officer on board.  Also sweep transit buses and keep them in a secure parking area when not in operation.  Have Transit Police at subway stations, and conduct random bag checks throughout the event.  (2004 DNC, NSSE Web Conference)
  • An army of yellow-shirted volunteers served as local ambassadors and provided assistance to delegates and regular, occasional, and new users of the T.  (2004 DNC, DNC Traffic Management Plan)

Transportation Needs

  • Have extra motorist response vans and tow trucks staffed throughout the week to keep traffic moving.  (2004 DNC, Presentation on Transportation Planning for the 2004 DNC Fleet Center, Boston)
  • Extend Service Patrol hours during the event.  (2009 G-20 Summit, NSSE Web Conference)
  • Other area Public Works/Traffic Engineering agencies shared resources with the City of Denver Public Works department when requested.  Had already established a strong working relationship among agencies through the Metropolitan Planning Organization.  They meet quarterly and coordinate traffic signal timing across jurisdictional boundaries.  (2008 DNC, Public Works Staff phone interview)

Technology Needs

  • They had 20-plus active operations centers.  One was the TMC.  They each had clearly defined roles and responsibilities and the communications plan was very important.  (2008 DNC, The 2008 DNC - Lessons Learned for Emergency Management, IAEM Annual Conference)
  • The TMC was one of five Command Centers.  Denver Police Department field commanders and representatives of other area law enforcement agencies were located in the TMC.  Sixty-four simultaneous video views were shared with the EOC and Colorado DOT’s TMC, and a temporary connection was added to the MACC for the event.  Denver’s TMC has 150 cameras and access to Colorado DOT’s camera network.  (2008 DNC, Public Works Staff phone interview)
  • They had some fake calls on incidents, but used cameras to help determine whether the threats were real.  (2008 RNC, NSSE Web Conference)
  • Send traffic cameras from the TMC to the MACC and State Police.  Have State Police man the cameras inside the TMC 24/7.  (2009 G-20 Summit, NSSE Web Conference)

Lessons Learned

The Big Picture

  • Mandate regular, daily briefs at the beginning of each operational period with introductions.  The Department of Public Works needed additional resources.  (2009 Super Bowl, Tampa Bay Regional Public Safety Sub-Committee Super Bowl XLIII After Action Report)
  • Confirm information flow before you accept it as fact.  (2008 DNC, 2008 DNC, Planned and Unplanned Events, Presented to ITE 2009, Phoenix)
  • Be flexible; special events are dynamic.  (2008 DNC, 2008 DNC, Planned and Unplanned Events, Presented to ITE 2009, Phoenix)
  • Track time and finances.  (2008 DNC, 2008 DNC, Planned and Unplanned Events, Presented to ITE 2009, Phoenix)
  • Keep a diary (documentation).  (2008 DNC, 2008 DNC, Planned and Unplanned Events, Presented to ITE 2009, Phoenix)
  • Follow up on issues; they don’t go away.  (2008 DNC, 2008 DNC, Planned and Unplanned Events, Presented to ITE 2009, Phoenix)
  • Twice daily conference calls to coordinate centers were valuable and focused on appropriate matters.  (2004 DNC, 2004 DNC After-Action Report)
  • Status updates were at times difficult to follow on the event log.  (2004 DNC, 2004 DNC After-Action Report)
  • Too many facilities were considered a command post.  (2004 DNC, 2004 DNC After-Action Report)
  • The MACC’s function was not established as a Multi-Agency Communication or Coordination Center.  Agency representation varied based on individual interpretation.  (2004 DNC, 2004 DNC After-Action Report)
  • Regional EOCs were staffed and viewed as a very positive concept of operation.  (2004 DNC, 2004 DNC After-Action Report)

Internal Management Issues

  • Provide management updates.  (2008 DNC, 2008 DNC, Planned and Unplanned Events, Presented to ITE 2009, Phoenix)

Event-Specific

  • The use of the Massachusetts State Police Airwing video was critical and a great benefit to operational decision-making.  (2004 DNC, 2004 DNC After-Action Report)
  • Interagency operational cooperation was effective using Northeast State Police Assistance Compact.  (2004 DNC, 2004 DNC After-Action Report)

Transportation Needs

  • Public transportation passenger levels were down significantly, although the timeframe for peak hours did not vary more than 30 minutes.  (2004 DNC, 2004 DNC After-Action Report)

Technology Needs

  • Don’t depend on cell phone coverage in/around the stadium.  (2009 Super Bowl, Tampa Bay Regional Public Safety Sub-Committee Super Bowl XLIII After Action Report)
  • The use of WebEOC® was a very valuable tool to all agencies and organizations that used it.  (2004 DNC, 2004 DNC After-Action Report)
  • WebEOC® allowed for all centers to remain engaged in operational issues and preparedness; it provided a common interface for coordination.  (2004 DNC, 2004 DNC After-Action Report)
  • Used WebEOC®.  Bought it because that is what the State of Colorado uses.  It was purchased with DNC grant money.  It was the primary information-sharing tool to provide a common operating picture.  They had 700 users.  Used it to also track mission tasking.  Provide guidance on what to enter, not just how.  (2008 DNC, The 2008 DNC - Lessons Learned for Emergency Management, IAEM Annual Conference)

Gaps

  • While the event is actually underway and plans are being executed, have the same core members of the planning group available to modify the plan as necessary.  The greatest benefit of the regularly held pre-event meetings is to keep the stakeholders working together as a seamless team through the implementation, so having these same people on hand for the event is vital.  The level of commitment shown by the participating agencies to pre-planning, integration, and teamwork is the best indicator of a successful operation when the day of the event arrives.  (ITS for Planned Special Events: A Cross-Cutting Study)
  • Have agency staff or field technicians conduct on-site observations during large special events.  Transportation planners find that it is helpful for staff members to identify problem areas and then travel to those areas to provide on-site assistance and real-time communication with the transportation operation managers.  The combination of closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras and dedicated personnel on-site can be very effective in helping to maintain continuity of traffic operations throughout a planned special event.  (ITS for Planned Special Events: A Cross-Cutting Study)
  • Use state or regional motorist assistance vehicles to patrol the roadways around events, borrowing from other agencies if necessary.  Motorist assistance patrols are particularly valuable in areas where video surveillance is not available.  These vehicles are equipped to move people and disabled vehicles out of the roadway quickly and safely.  Operators can quickly apprise managers of incidents, speeding response and recovery.  Assistance patrols often garner enthusiastic praise from stranded motorists, helping agencies maintain the good will of the traveling public.  (ITS for Planned Special Events: A Cross-Cutting Study)
  • Undercover “color of the day” was not shared early in the event with all law enforcement agencies that deployed armed plainclothes officers.  (2004 DNC, 2004 DNC After-Action Report)
  • Operators did not use the category “significant event” terminology consistently.  (2004 DNC, 2004 DNC After-Action Report)
  • The overuse of acronyms created confusion at times.  (2004 DNC, 2004 DNC After-Action Report)
  • Concern that if a major incident occurred, it was not clear which “command post” would take the lead.  (2004 DNC, 2004 DNC After-Action Report)

May 2011
Publication #FHWA-HOP-11-012