Planning Olympic security

Sep 1, 1999 12:00 PM, ACCESS CONTROL & SECURITY SYSTEMS INTEGRATION STAFF

SunTrust Plaza security director Tom Boyette - never one for the sidelines - found himself in the middle of the security effort for 1996 Centennial Olympic Games. That same year, he had been promoted to associate director of corporate security for the Portman Companies, which increased his duties for the Atlanta Gift Mart, the Atlanta Apparel Mart and the Atlanta Merchandise Mart, all downtown Atlanta Portman properties comprising more than 6 million square feet.

Boyette was asked to prepare life safety and evacuation plans for the soon-to-be Olympic facilities, including headquarters for the international press.

Not only did Boyette take charge of the Life Safety and Evacuation Plans and the Bomb Threat Plans in preparation for the games, he got those plans certified by the fire safety division of the Atlanta Fire Department.

On the night the bomb exploded in Centennial Olympic Park - only one block from the Portman properties - the plans became of utmost importance.

ACOG security followed procedures, locking down the Olympic facilities.

Boyette, too, was ready for the bomb. He and Chuck Jones, corporate security director for Portman Management Co. at the time, were stationed around-the-clock in a rented RV parked at the SunTrust loading dock.

"We wanted at least one of us on the property at all times," says Boyette. "I was asleep in the RV at the time of the bombing. The dock officer at the Atlanta Merchandise Mart paged me to report that a bomb had exploded nearby."

Although ACOG coordinated most of the security effort, the originator of the bomb threat plans was ready to lend his expertise.

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© 2012 Penton Media Inc.

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