National Safety and Security Conference Begins Next Week in Orlando
Fri, 07/12/2013 - 10:01am | By: Van Arnold
A national forum to discuss the Boston Marathon bombings will be one of the highlights at the 2013 National Sports Safety and Security Conference and Exhibition that gets underway next week in Orlando, Fla.
Hosted by the National Center for Spectator Sports Safety and Security (NCS4) at The University of Southern Mississippi, the fourth annual conference will be held July 16-18 at the Walt Disney World Dolphin Hotel. The theme of this year's conference is “Sharing New Knowledge: A Global Perspective.”
“The conference continues to grow each year and we are excited about bringing this event to the Orlando area for the first time,” said NCS4 Director Dr. Lou Marciani. “Our vendors, as well as attendees, are sold out, and we have lined up some of the foremost experts in safety and security to address topics that affect Americans in every walk of life.”
The conference will feature a trio of keynote speakers on the opening day: Pat Williams, senior vice president, Orlando Magic; James Connors, executive vice president for operations, National September 11 Memorial and Museum Foundation and Superintendent William B. Evans, Boston Police Department.
In response to the Boston Marathon bombings on April 15, this year's National Forum – “Maintaining Safety and Security at Open Access Sporting Events: Different Challenges, Same Principles,” will provide national conference attendees with a set of protective measures that will help establish secure environments at events with open access areas.
The forum is scheduled for Noon-2 p.m. on Tuesday, July 16 with a news conference to follow. Dave Scott, general manager for US Road Sports & Entertainment of Florida and race director for the Miami Marathon, as well as president of Stadium Managers Association, will serve as the forum facilitator.
Established in 2006, The National Center for Spectator Sports and Security specifically focuses on research, education, and outreach in sport event security, providing an interdisciplinary academic environment to further increase sport security awareness, improve sport security policies and procedures and enhance emergency responses through evacuation, recovery operations and crowd management training. For more information, visit the NCS4 conference website at https://www.ncs4.com/conference/.