MaverickNH
NES Member
A behind-the-scenes look at standand security & safety for public events:
Our CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) is working with a local PD in SoNH to assist with safety & security on an upcoming holiday public event. About 30k expected over ~1/2mi of a main street and a block either way. Barriers on streets, bomb dog sweeps before/during/after, towing cars, etc. I’m not mentioning the city name (so please don’t) but OpSec is to be very visible at the event (except for the undercover LEOs and sniper teams) so nutjobs might know this is a hard target and stay home. Nutjobs are crazy but most are not stupid.
Security includes 2-dozen+ uniformed LEOs, two SWAT teams, one Bearcat vehicle (for show), several rooftop marksman/observer teams and a half-dozen roving undercover LEOs with bagged SMGs. A few ambulances/EMTs stationed along the way outside the barriers with local ERs upstaffed. FBI/DEA intelligence and social media reviews for threats - no major active hate groups in SoNH. But “nothing like this has ever happened here before” is what most mass casualty events have in common.
CERT has multiple roving pairs with comms relayed to unified command and carry trauma med & boo-boo kits. We got a 3hr TECC refresher and tried out the new SOF-T model with a friction patch to aid grip when tightening before twisting - very nice.
Policy for CERT is no firearms while on duty, but “don’t ask/don’t tell” was mentioned...it’s NH. Only unholstered pistols and brandished knives are alert/action level - open carry is expected. A few folks have been known to get all tactical looking at prior events. Slung long arms will get a friendly greeting and close shadow from LEOs so everyone doesn’t freak and call 911. Maybe more attention from overwatch, but they are alert to distraction attack scenarios.
I’ll be wearing designated bright gear outside with IIIA armor inside - nobody questions bulky jackets in the winter and you sweat less. The likely hazards are stepping in puke (the chunks clog boot lugs) and THC overdose from 2nd-hand exposure.
Our CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) is working with a local PD in SoNH to assist with safety & security on an upcoming holiday public event. About 30k expected over ~1/2mi of a main street and a block either way. Barriers on streets, bomb dog sweeps before/during/after, towing cars, etc. I’m not mentioning the city name (so please don’t) but OpSec is to be very visible at the event (except for the undercover LEOs and sniper teams) so nutjobs might know this is a hard target and stay home. Nutjobs are crazy but most are not stupid.
Security includes 2-dozen+ uniformed LEOs, two SWAT teams, one Bearcat vehicle (for show), several rooftop marksman/observer teams and a half-dozen roving undercover LEOs with bagged SMGs. A few ambulances/EMTs stationed along the way outside the barriers with local ERs upstaffed. FBI/DEA intelligence and social media reviews for threats - no major active hate groups in SoNH. But “nothing like this has ever happened here before” is what most mass casualty events have in common.
CERT has multiple roving pairs with comms relayed to unified command and carry trauma med & boo-boo kits. We got a 3hr TECC refresher and tried out the new SOF-T model with a friction patch to aid grip when tightening before twisting - very nice.
Policy for CERT is no firearms while on duty, but “don’t ask/don’t tell” was mentioned...it’s NH. Only unholstered pistols and brandished knives are alert/action level - open carry is expected. A few folks have been known to get all tactical looking at prior events. Slung long arms will get a friendly greeting and close shadow from LEOs so everyone doesn’t freak and call 911. Maybe more attention from overwatch, but they are alert to distraction attack scenarios.
I’ll be wearing designated bright gear outside with IIIA armor inside - nobody questions bulky jackets in the winter and you sweat less. The likely hazards are stepping in puke (the chunks clog boot lugs) and THC overdose from 2nd-hand exposure.
IOW, government servants enacting the will of their overlords on the populace is more of an everyday threat than some rando nutjob Muslim extremist.
