On July 27th, the UK will kick start the largest peacetime security operation in the country’s history to ensure an incident-free Summer Olympics (27 July – 12 August) and Paralympics (29 August – 9 September).
London will see a significant increase in the number of police officers deployed on the streets during the events. A military contingency force and private security personnel will provide support, while dedicated counter-terrorism specialists will monitor and assess the risk from terrorism and additional border force personnel will be deployed to cope with the rise in travellers to the capital.
International SOS, the leading global medical and security services company, is also well prepared for the influx of visitors to London, and has been working with its clients to make sure they’re Olympic ready.
Paul Hogan, General Manager Assistance Services – Northern Europe Assistance, International SOS, explains: “International SOS has supported our clients at many major sporting events, including the Beijing Olympics and the South Africa World Cup. Each event presents its own unique challenges, which is why we have spent the last two years planning and testing our approach for London 2012 to ensure we are ready to support our members throughout the Games.
International SOS has compiled its top tips sporting visitors should follow to have a safe and enjoyable Olympic experience:
- Plan your journey – Although the Underground, DLR and Overground will run extended services to accommodate an increased number of passengers, all lines are likely to experience heavy congestion during the Olympics. Lines that will be placed under particular strain include those serving the Olympic Park directly. To avoid “getting stuck in traffic,” allow plenty of time for journeys, especially across London. Plan routes and timings in accordance with the advice on the dedicated Olympics travel website (http://www.getaheadofthegames.com/) and Transport for London website (http://www.tfl.gov.uk/) to avoid heavily-congested areas.
- Take sensible security precautions to mitigate the risk of petty and street crime – Petty theft will be a particular concern on the City's busy public transport network, especially at heavily congested tube and rail stations, and in crowded public spaces, including those popular with tourists. Likely hot spots include main network rail stations and locations popular with tourists. Olympic events outside London may also experience higher-than-average levels of petty crime, particularly around transport hubs and routes to and from football matches.
- Avoid demonstrations and protests as a routine security precaution – Activist groups such as Occupy London and/or labour unions such as Unite may use the Olympics as a platform to demonstrate their opposition to a variety of issues, including cuts to salaries and pension and education reforms. Both groups have threatened to stage strikes and demonstrations during the Games, though it remains unclear if they act on such threats.
- Be vigilant and follow the instructions of the local authorities or emergency services during a major incident – It’s important to remain vigilant during the Games and contact the authorities if you see any suspicious activity. There is likely to be an uptake of bomb hoaxes and other false security alerts in the lead-up to and during the Olympics, which can be very disruptive, but it’s again important to alert the local authorities as soon as you have noticed anything out of the ordinary.
