Bombing boosts security concerns for event planners

TEST RUN: More than 4,400 people participated in the 2012 CVS Caremark Downtown 5K last September. A CVS spokesman says the company will work with Providence officials on security in the aftermath of last week’s Boston Marathon bombing. / COURTESY SCOTTMASONPHOTO.COM
TEST RUN: More than 4,400 people participated in the 2012 CVS Caremark Downtown 5K last September. A CVS spokesman says the company will work with Providence officials on security in the aftermath of last week’s Boston Marathon bombing. / COURTESY SCOTTMASONPHOTO.COM

In the aftermath of the deadly bombing at the Boston Marathon, security is being defined, redefined and arranged, as spring takes hold in Rhode Island and civic leaders prepare for crowds expected at marathons, 5K walks, food festivals and Providence’s signature crowd-pleaser – WaterFire.
“We like WaterFire to appear simple, almost magical,” said WaterFire creator and Executive Artistic Director Barnaby Evans. “We don’t want to have barriers and cage people in. But … we’ve considered security closely as part of our overall planning for every one of the 19 years of WaterFire.”
WaterFire has attracted attention from cities around the world with its ritual of boatmen lighting fires on the river, complemented by music, food and community celebration. The unique public gathering has been credited for being the spark that brought life and thousands of visitors from afar to downtown Providence.
The crowds at WaterFire have reached an estimated 100,000 at peak times, averaging about 1 million per season, Evans said.
“We just try to do [security] as quietly as possible with undercover and uniformed officers,” said Evans. Sometimes precautions include bomb-sniffing dogs, he said.
“We have always closely coordinated our security with public-safety officials. We’ve already had a conversation with them, and we’re waiting for the FBI’s internal feedback that will go directly to police,” Evans said the day after the April 15 Boston tragedy, where the explosion of two bombs near the finish line left more than 170 injured and, as of April 18, three dead.
“We will refine the issues to think about, in light of what we learn from Boston once the forensic analysis is finished,” Evans said.
As law enforcement has made clear since the April 15 bombing, police can’t manage all the details of security alone – authorities have repeatedly petitioned the public to come forward with any information, video or photos that might help determine the identity of the person or group who set off the bombs and track them down.
With the increase of smartphones with cameras, public input has become an important part of public safety. WaterFire organizers have involved volunteers in security for a long time.
“The volunteers serve as our eyes and ears. They have no authority to tell anyone they could or couldn’t go somewhere. They phone any concerns to police officers on duty,” said Evans.
No matter how large or small the public event, planners are determining this year’s security plans in relation to the Boston Marathon bombing. Sometimes the response is not to overreact.
Eat Drink RI President David Dadekian said the new festival that began on April 19, with 450 tickets sold to sample food at 11 trucks at the Kennedy Plaza skating rink in Providence, had scheduled a park ranger, required for the site, along with the usual police presence. The outdoor evening included tents and bands. Eat Drink RI was scheduled to move indoors to the Providence Biltmore Hotel on April 20.
“We’re more cognizant when things like this happen,” he said of the Boston tragedy. “But I don’t see why we would have any security issues. It’s a relatively secure space. I guess the same could be said for downtown Boston. I just think that was an isolated incident.”
Dadekian speaks from experience. He lived in New York City from 1989 until 2003. He was in the city when a truck bomb exploded in the garage of the World Trade Center in 1993 and when terrorist planes flew into the World Trade Center towers on Sept. 11, 2001.
“We knew if such a thing was going to happen in the U.S., New York was a possible target, along with other major cities,” Dadekian said.
Organizers of running events said they will continue and adjust security as necessary.
“Obviously our hearts go out to all the victims of the Boston incident,” said Mike DeAngelis, spokesman for CVS Caremark Corp., which has sponsored a Providence run since 2000. “As of right now, we’re planning to hold the event, which has multiple [races].”
The 2013 CVS Caremark Downtown 5K is set for Sept. 22, along with the Tufts Health Plan High School Inspirational 3K and youth races. “In light of the Boston tragedy, we’ll be working with the city, the police and the race director,” DeAngelis said.
The CVS runs are open to the public and the crowd comes and goes, with many people casually wandering in from their shopping in the mall, he said.
“Overall, historically, it’s been a very safe event,” DeAngelis said. “There are emergency responders at the site every year for general first aid for runners who may have some physical distress, and there’s always a great presence by the Providence Police Department.”
In the couple of days following the Boston bombing, Providence Police detonated a backpack left across the street from Providence Place mall and had the state fire marshal and bomb technicians called in to examine a laptop in a case left outside the Omni Hotel. That case was determined to be safe and returned to the owner. Police were also called in to examine a package left at Kennedy Plaza, said Providence Public Safety Commissioner Steven Pare.
“We will continue to monitor and review our protocol for public events like WaterFire and runs to ensure we are using best practices and deploying proper resources,” Pare said.
Plans are on track for a group of runs May 11-12 in Rhode Island, called the Cox Providence Rhode Races, sponsored by Cox Communications and managed by Providence-based Eident Sports Marketing.
The weekend runs kick off May 11 at Roger Williams Park with a Kids Race and the National Grid 5K.
The Cox Sports Marathon begins Sunday morning in downtown Providence, with the course heading to Barrington. The race is a 2014 Boston Marathon qualifier.
The United Healthcare Half Marathon also begins downtown, with a course that goes into Pawtucket.
“We always provide a secure environment for our runners,” Eident Sports Marketing President John Mathews said from the company’s office in Naples, Fla.
Eident is experienced in planning a broad range of security, with 10 races planned this year in New England, New York and Florida, said Mathews.
“The running community is very strong and resilient and we’re glad to be part of that,” said Mathews. •

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