Shielding the Attendees

Shielding the Attendees

Vehicle tragedies emphasize need for pedestrian protection at large events

By their very nature, terrorist attacks and errant drivers, who can also create untold damage, are unpredictable and predicated on surprise. Staying one step ahead by identifying vulnerable areas, and securing them, is critical to staving off vehicular attacks. That means being able to deploy security equipment in tough conditions, at a moment’s notice.

Terrorists typically don’t go where they see barricades, so placing them wherever possible attacks can happen reduces security risks dramatically. Temporary barriers are often used to protect facilities while permanent ones are being built. Plus, they’ve even been effective for the long-term where physical conditions preclude permanent solutions. Such are the cases at two very different events thousands of miles apart, New Orleans’ annual Mardi Gras and the Commonwealth Games held four years apart at varying British commonwealth nations.

This has been happening for some time—vehicles being used as weapons. Several years ago, on Dec. 19, 2016, the news exploded with information about a vehicle attack on a Christmas market in Berlin that killed at least 12 and injured more than 50. Less than a month before, the U.S. State Department had warned about such attacks in public places throughout Europe, saying that extremist groups including the Islamic State and Al Qaeda were planning to focus on such locales during the Holiday Season.

According to Aaron Miller, New Orleans’ director of homeland security and preparedness, said three barriers were initially towed into location just prior to the 2017 NBA All-Star game. Miller said that in certain situations the portable barriers are more efficient than current measures. Instead of police officers using patrol cars to close streets, the barriers free officers to take care of other important police matters. Miller also stated that the city intends to purchase more portable barriers to block additional French Quarter intersections.

Unfortunately, in New Orleans, obtaining extra vehicle protection quickly became a focal point since an intoxicated driver injured at least 28 people when smashing into the Krewe of Endymion parade, the largest at Mardi Gras, at one of the yet unprotected intersections. Just as a terrorist can use a vehicle as a weapon to harm many people quickly as in Berlin, the same results can be caused by an errant driver.

As a result, temporary vehicle barriers were later erected in New Orleans’ French Quarter to restrict vehicle access to Bourbon Street during Mardi Gras. The barriers, which were placed along cross streets intersecting Bourbon, helped ensure no vehicles had access to the heavily traveled walkways as Mardi Gras participants celebrated in the Quarter. The barriers were raised at 5 p.m. from Feb. 22 through Mardi Gras‚ which ended on Feb. 28, and lowered at 5 a.m. or earlier depending on crowds. New Orleans plans to continue use of the portable barriers during special events in the future.

In the Land Down Under

In Australia, the Commonwealth Games, held in April 2018, on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia, included 4,400 athletes from 70 Commonwealth nations throughout the world, competing in 19 championship sports. It was the largest sporting event in Australia since the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. Organizers required a vehicle access system that could be rapidly deployed and would create secure vehicle check points that carried crash-certification.

“Barriers protected major event venues including the main games stadium, Gold Coast Convention Centre, the Athletes Village and critical street closures throughout the Gold Coast area,” said Matthew Knight, director of Knight Brothers. “It was important for the Games’ operations that access for emergency and authorized vehicles was maintained through the duration of the event.”

Security focus had begun years prior to the games. The focus went beyond hostile vehicle mitigation (HVM) measures to include various other identified security risks. Perimeter security measures were aligned with the recently implemented Australia and New Zealand Counter Terrorism Committee (ANZCTC) strategy for the protection of places of mass gatherings. A core element of this strategy was the effective and practical implementation of HVM measures at key locations. As the Australian partner of Delta Scientific, Knight Brothers Pty Ltd secured the contract for the vehicle barrier systems in late 2017 and liaised closely with organizers to ensure that specific security measures could be achieved through implementing mobile barrier systems.

In both New Orleans and the Australian Gold Coast, the totally self-contained MP5000’s tow into position to control vehicle access within 15 minutes. No excavation or sub-surface preparation is required. Once positioned, the mobile barricades will unpack themselves by using hydraulics to raise and lower the barriers off their wheels. DC-powered pumps will then raise or lower the barriers. These mobile deployable vehicle crash barriers carry a K8 rating (M40 ASTM rating), stopping seven and a half ton vehicles traveling 40 mph.

“The primary use of the 20-foot portable barriers was in public areas where ground fixation or in-situ HVM measures were not practical or achievable,” Matthew said. “Barriers were deployed in a variety of configurations in order to meet security and access needs. This included direct access points as well as heightened temporary security check points with stringent vehicle inspections undertaken by Australian Defense Force staff. Secure access points at other locations were operated by contracted security staff.”

At the Games, stand-alone battery-operated hydraulic systems with supplementary solar power charging and remote-control operation activated the barriers and allowed a high rate of vehicle throughput in meeting specific operational requirements.

“Training of barrier deployment and operation was conducted directly to Commonwealth Games security staff during barrier delivery and commissioning. This ensured seamless integration of the systems across the various deployment locations,” said Daniel Knight, director of Knight Brothers. “We were very proud to be a part of this prestigious sporting event and to provide the first known deployment of portable active vehicle barriers systems on Australian soil.”

This article originally appeared in the July/August 2019 issue of Security Today.

Featured

  • New Report Reveals Top Trends Transforming Access Controller Technology

    Mercury Security, a provider in access control hardware and open platform solutions, has published its Trends in Access Controllers Report, based on a survey of over 450 security professionals across North America and Europe. The findings highlight the controller’s vital role in a physical access control system (PACS), where the device not only enforces access policies but also connects with readers to verify user credentials—ranging from ID badges to biometrics and mobile identities. With 72% of respondents identifying the controller as a critical or important factor in PACS design, the report underscores how the choice of controller platform has become a strategic decision for today’s security leaders. Read Now

  • Overwhelming Majority of CISOs Anticipate Surge in Cyber Attacks Over the Next Three Years

    An overwhelming 98% of chief information security officers (CISOs) expect a surge in cyber attacks over the next three years as organizations face an increasingly complex and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven digital threat landscape. This is according to new research conducted among 300 CISOs, chief information officers (CIOs), and senior IT professionals by CSC1, the leading provider of enterprise-class domain and domain name system (DNS) security. Read Now

  • ASIS International Introduces New ANSI-Approved Investigations Standard

    • Guard Services
  • Cloud Security Alliance Brings AI-Assisted Auditing to Cloud Computing

    The Cloud Security Alliance (CSA), the world’s leading organization dedicated to defining standards, certifications, and best practices to help ensure a secure cloud computing environment, today introduced an innovative addition to its suite of Security, Trust, Assurance and Risk (STAR) Registry assessments with the launch of Valid-AI-ted, an AI-powered, automated validation system. The new tool provides an automated quality check of assurance information of STAR Level 1 self-assessments using state-of-the-art LLM technology. Read Now

  • Report: Nearly 1 in 5 Healthcare Leaders Say Cyberattacks Have Impacted Patient Care

    Omega Systems, a provider of managed IT and security services, today released new research that reveals the growing impact of cybersecurity challenges on leading healthcare organizations and patient safety. According to the 2025 Healthcare IT Landscape Report, 19% of healthcare leaders say a cyberattack has already disrupted patient care, and more than half (52%) believe a fatal cyber-related incident is inevitable within the next five years. Read Now

New Products

  • ResponderLink

    ResponderLink

    Shooter Detection Systems (SDS), an Alarm.com company and a global leader in gunshot detection solutions, has introduced ResponderLink, a groundbreaking new 911 notification service for gunshot events. ResponderLink completes the circle from detection to 911 notification to first responder awareness, giving law enforcement enhanced situational intelligence they urgently need to save lives. Integrating SDS’s proven gunshot detection system with Noonlight’s SendPolice platform, ResponderLink is the first solution to automatically deliver real-time gunshot detection data to 911 call centers and first responders. When shots are detected, the 911 dispatching center, also known as the Public Safety Answering Point or PSAP, is contacted based on the gunfire location, enabling faster initiation of life-saving emergency protocols.

  • Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

    Connect ONE®

    Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

  • QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    The latest Qualcomm® Vision Intelligence Platform offers next-generation smart camera IoT solutions to improve safety and security across enterprises, cities and spaces. The Vision Intelligence Platform was expanded in March 2022 with the introduction of the QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC), which delivers superior artificial intelligence (AI) inferencing at the edge.