Orlando Division: Security for Public Gatherings

Recently we have once again witnessed on the television news of a random shooting in a large public event in Florida. Criminals are using this forum to get their “15 minutes of fame”. The shooting at the Zombie Fest got national attention on most of the networks as well as coverage on local news programs. The media ought to cover these events as it is important that the public is aware that they are occurring and to be able to make good judgement as to whether they should attend such events. The tragedy beyond the death and injury to innocent victims are the public events themselves. Public events are important for the fabric of a community and need to be held. I believe what we must do is to understand that this is our new reality and develop safety and security programs to defend against attack. We should look to Israel to show us how to live in this world as few people have lived under these conditions longer that those in the middle east. Our response has to be swift and effective which means that events organizers and those attending must be prepared to act quickly and decisively when these attacks occur. We saw the effectiveness when the Americans on the train in Europe responded to an active shooter: Quick and decisive: There is our model.