International SOS reports it is working with several major corporate sponsors of the 2004 Summer Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, to prepare for possible security challenges.
The medical and security assistance company reports it has established a cross-functional and cross-regional team to support clients during the Olympics, expanding on the role it played in providing urgent and elective medical and travel assistance for its clients attending the Summer 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney. Representatives of the International SOS cross-functional and cross-regional team travelled to Athens in late May to conduct a site survey, coordinate with Athens security teams, and establish protocols for client support. The information gathered has been used to further define the support required from existing International SOS local network providers as well as additional event-specific providers, and to develop a framework for client emergency response and contingency planning.
Crisis plan
The International SOS Global Security and Intelligence division has consulted with the IOC and Athens police on behalf of major clients and is developing medical and security crisis management plans, including protocols for emergency response and evacuation. According to Dean Radford, Head of Global Security and Intelligence, International SOS, recent security threats against western targets make careful planning essential. Corporations, their guests, and individual travellers heading to Athens for the summer games must have an action plan in case of a major security incident, and be thoroughly familiar with that plan. Emergency response plans address security concerns by helping corporations determine: best routes by air, land and sea if evacuation is necessary, communications options should phone lines go down, contact information for key people in their company, locations of the nearest embassy or consulate and other vital information needed in case of a major crisis. Says Radford: "Not every crisis or security incident leads to evacuation, but travellers still need a plan for how to respond and how to get help if they need it. Corporations need to be able to engage assets to provide security or medical assistance to their people in the event they’re affected by a localised incident."
The International SOS Paris Alarm Centre will be the principal 24-hour assistance centre supporting the company’s clients in Athens. The Paris Alarm Centre will co-ordinate all support services with the 27 other International SOS Alarm Centres around the world for SOS clients attending the Olympic Games, including any air evacuation requirement, medical or security, which may occur. During the Games International SOS will also have an on-the-ground presence, in addition to local medical and security capabilities in Athens through their network providers, co-ordinated globally via the SOS Paris Alarm Centre.
