CBRN and Hazmat Incidents at Major Public Events: Planning and Response

CHAPTER 4

General Planning Considerations at an Early Stage

The purpose of this chapter is to highlight various planning actions that must take place early in the process in order to provide value. The earlier the CBRN/HAZMAT planner can get his or her concerns onto the agenda, the easier it will be to get the proper resources in place. This section primarily concerns itself with measures that can and should take place as early as possible in the planning cycle.

A large event with a massive bureaucracy will resist efforts to work independently of the establishment. Therefore, the most successful planner learns to “work with the grain,” not against it. As soon as possible, it will be imperative to identify the planning structures involved. Get representation on all the committees that you think might involve CBRN/HAZMAT. If you don't have enough hours in the day, get someone else to cover for you. Prioritize. If you don't have enough people to sit in on the right committees; start identifying members of other organizations and entities that might have sympathy for the CBRN/HAZMAT cause. Do not be afraid to make allies and coopt people who may have similar goals to look after the CBRN/HAZMAT field in your absence.

ESTABLISH YOUR PLANNING THRESHOLD

The most important thing that can and should be done in the early stages is to develop a “a planning threshold.” This concept is known under may different names in other fields of security planning, such as a “design threat basis” or (confusingly) ...