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Security for wide scale temporary events require a smart and coordinated mix of advanced technology and personnel.
In January of 2019, the Clemson Tigers and Alabama Crimson Tide competed at one of the largest sporting events in the country: The National Collegiate Athletic Association's (NCAA) fifth National Championship game of the College Football Playoffs. There were 75,000 fans in attendance.
Events like these are vulnerable to a host of security risks. In fact, the event was monitored by students from Norwich University's Applied Research Institute (NUARI) who used artificial intelligence decision automation software (Norwich used Respond Software) to monitor, analyze and resolve more than 243,000 events and threats during the game. There were 200,097 threats that required deeper investigation; the team diagnosed 431 as malicious and mitigated 13 events that specifically targeted the stadium. The game seamlessly took place without trouble.
Events like this are ripe targets for physical and cyber threats. Thankfully, the growth of advanced technology, coordinated with security teams, is being used to control and mitigate event security risks that could otherwise result in devastating consequences.
"The advantage of having a protective security advance team aids with protecting fans, employees, and individuals attending special events from visiting a potentially dangerous venue," says D'Nasha Harrison, CEO of Harrison Security Facilitators.
"Coordinating security needs prior to an event is paramount and with the aid of security cameras, along with personnel conducting a protective security advance survey, boundaries and surrounding areas within and outside of the venue, can receive the proper attention that it needs. Security personnel can be assigned to survey various routes leading to and coming from the venue. A search of surrounding structures adjacent to the venue can also be conducted, ensuring that the area surrounding the event does not pose any threats during the duration for the scheduled event."
New and advanced technologies instill event security by performing in ways and in places that human beings...