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Texas Rangers Post Season 2010- Playoffs and World Series
Nearly half a million people attended the eight games of the Rangers 2010 postseason that were hosted in Arlington. The World Series required a significantly larger number of explosive ordinance disposal( EOD) and hazardous materials resources compared to typical games and posed some logistical problems for how to maintain a hardened perimeter around the Ballpark, while still maintaining traffic flow into and out of the area. These problems were solved in collaboration with the Arlington Police Department, Fire Prevention, and the City‘ s Traffic Management Division. Another unique challenge was that one of the games of the World Series coincided with a Cowboys home football game. This was the largest dual event for which the Office of Special Events has planned.
Emergency Operations Center
The Arlington Fire Department Office of Emergency Management‘ s Emergency Operations Center( EOC) was activated for all three Rangers home games during the 2010 World Series. The purpose was to provide a single coordination location for Arlington public safety, City departments, State and Federal partners and local private partners. The goal of the representatives in the EOC was for central planning and response to ensure the operational needs of the Ballpark were met, with the city‘ s operational needs and response times being maintained at normal levels. Situational awareness was maintained by utilizing City cameras, network resources, and communication technology so the EOC sections were able to report current conditions for their areas of responsibility via frequently distributed situational reports.
Fire Prevention
Fire Prevention is responsible for ensuring that conditions that are hazardous to life, property, or public welfare are identified and corrected prior to and during large scale events. This is accomplished through stringent Fire Code enforcement, crowd management, and a comprehensive CBRNE( EOD / Hazmat) Operations Plan. During the World Series, CBRNE activities were coordinated with the Arlington Police Department and the Traffic Division to set up a security zone around the Ballpark so that vehicle could be swept prior to them arriving at the event. Seven Joint Hazard Assessment Teams were assigned to posts that were strategically located around the venue to allow for screening of all guests prior to them entering the Ballpark. To supply coverage to all eight games, Prevention coordinated with the FBI, ATF, and nine local bomb squads to ensure manpower demands were covered. Crowd management and code compliance was accomplished by posting five Fire Inspectors at various locations throughout the interior of the Ballpark. These Inspectors dealt with overcrowding in the team stores, in various clubs, and on the main concourse as well as ensuring that all the pyrotechnic displays were completed in a safe manner.
Working Together to Make Arlington Better.
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