FY2011 Arlington Fire Department Annual Report FY 2011 | Page 16

Newsletter Title Page 16 SB XLV - Fire Prevention Fire Prevention‘s goal to ensure the safety of the public at the Super Bowl began in August with reviews of site and construction plans. These plans were examined to ensure compliance with the City‘s adopted codes. On January 10, 2011, when construction began at Cowboys Stadium, a Fire Inspector was assigned 24 hours a day to ensure that all life safety requirements were being met. During these inspections, significant safety issues were identified with the temporary seating that was being installed. These issues, coupled with the ice and snow falling from the roof that damaged and blocked several large exits, required redesign of the Fire Prevention staffing plan, increasing it by 150 percent. Fire Prevention was also responsible for all Explosive Ordnance Disposal operations pertaining to the Super Bowl. The EOD Team provided detection, identification, and mitigation capabilities while conducting vehicle, stadium, and patron sweeps at all Super Bowl-related venues in Arlington and the surrounding area. To accomplish this task, the EOD Team planned and coordinated with Arlington Police, numerous Federal agencies, and nine local bomb squads. The largest single sweep (of the entire interior and exterior of the stadium) required the coordination of 105 personnel and 78 Explosives K-9s. This sweep was accomplished the Friday night before the Super Bowl and took nine hours. From that point until after the Super Bowl was over, the EOD Team began 24 hour operation. SB XLV - Special Operations Special Operations teams played critical roles in ensuring the safety of patrons at Super Bowl XLV. The Spec Ops group included local, State, and Federal partners: Began two years out with the organization, orientation and training of the various work groups from local, State, and Federal level resources A joint Special Services Branch Command Post was staffed by key personnel from the Fire Department‘s Special Operations group and Explosives Ordinance Disposal Team, along with liaisons from Federal and State resources. The Branch Command Post was staffed for eight days. Working Together to Make Arlington Better. 16