BrainStream: Update: (In)Security at the DNCC, part deux

Well, we have an update from my friend the "TSCM Guy" and apparently Boston has done little to nothing to improve security as the convention nears. What, do I need to send these posts to media outlets? At his request, I've cleaned up the piece a bit.

I visited the site of the DNCC again on today, and poked around a bit more.

The government has moved around a small number of the Jersey barriers in front of the Tip O'Neil building to partially block one section of the sidewalk, but they have done little else with said barriers. One barrier had a single stake, but not one of the other hundred had any stakes. None of them where linked yet, and none had cables or chains. There were more visible security (FPS weenies), but they seemed more interested in scratching their butts then stopping me to ask why I was lurking around dressed like a homeless bum, and lugging a huge green duffle bag stuffed with 50 pounds of flour. The flour was to harmlessly simulate a "nefarious device or compound" (ie: explosives, chemical, biological, radiological device, etc).

The Verizon communications trailer is still totally exposed, and STILL unlocked & right at the sidewalk.

The two HVAC sets right on the sidewalk, (near the Verizon trailer), are totally exposed and have no type of filtration of any kind. If someone popped a smoke bomb, released a noxious gas, or (God forbid) release some anthrax it would get sucked in to the auxiliary HVAC system and dispersed throughout the entire Convention complex. This would be a lot harder to do with roof mounted units, but these smaller street level units are a glaring security hole, and an invitation to mischief. At the minimum these units should have had snorkels installed with one micro-filters.

I did not see any evidence that the sewer had been snaked yet, (inspected for bombs with a video snake), and it is now going to be impossible to do an inspection as there is absolutely no time left to do it. None of the sewer grates & manholes have been tack welded yet, nor locked down, (you do this as you snake the pipes). It is likely that the government security weenies are just going to do a cursory check on the manholes and tack them closed (which is actually a useless action as the tack weld can be broken with one whack of a chisel, or welders scaling hammer).

The construction of the roof of the pavilion invites thrown objects due to the low height, and if the Green line (subway) is running passengers on the loading platform could toss nasty things down on to the roof of the pavilion. [Editor's Note: The good(?) news is that the Green Line stop at Fleet will stop running on Friday, 7/23.]

There is still nothing in place to prevent a truck from running the light barricades being put up around the area. Essentially any vehicle weight at least 15000 pounds, (medium sized Ryder truck), and moving at 15 mph of more would be unstoppable. If the assailant increases the speed to 35-40 miles, or upsizes the truck to a 25,000 pounder (heavy Ryder truck) mischief could be conducted even though the five "gauntlets" they're setting up.

From what I can see the biggest, and most serious vulnerability is from trucks loaded with flammable or explosive materials approaching from the area of the Charlestown Navy Yard, or cutting though Chelsea, crossing the bridge at the power plant and going on an attack vector along the Hood Plant.

MGH is closing off a big chunk of the hospital and is going to be transferring, (cough, cough), evacuating patients to other facilities starting next early next week so that they have a bare minimum of patients. Several family members of the Al-Saud family that were staying at Blair House (at MGH) are being transferred (at their request) this Friday morning. On a more amusing note, MGH has removed the "We Welcome the DNC" signs, and replaced them with ones with a less ironic message.

The Heliports will still be open at all three hospitals, and nothing has been done to prevent an ambulance from getting stolen and being used for mischief - they still have access to the DNCC. In fact ambulances are going to have a special "parade route" that loops then around a series of gauntlets to ensure they can get from the hospital to the DNC or local hotels at high speeds.

There are still major radio coverage shadows in the area, (I double checked today), and there are no new communications towers of booms up yet (or planned to go up) that would help the situation. If there is an incidet at the DNC there will be virtually no radio coverage.

The primary command center for security is set up in a series on dressing rooms actually in the conference facility, and the FBI/CIA/FPS setting up a redundant command post in three nearby buildings nearby (sounds like the brewing of a turf war). Add to this the military has already mobilized five missile batteries within one mile of the Fleet Center, and the State Police having their own little side show nearby queuing up the SWAT trucks, (they were getting a huge shipment of chemical weapons today - 45,000 pounds of CS and CN hand grenades, shoulder-fired CS pyrotechnic projectiles, stun grenades, pepper foggers, nauseating agents, etc. The shipment came from Armor Holdings/Defense Technology in Florida.). The Navy Yard is making preparation for some serious floating iron as well, so it will be interesting to see what they float in to intercept any airborne threat.

I could go on, but nobody is listening, nobody cares, yadda-yadda-yadda.

I see a major clouster-fook brewing.

[BrainStream]
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