With dozens of temporary venues and millions of visitors to the New York metro area, the weeks leading up to Super Bowl XLVIII presented significant challenges to public safety planning. That is why the Fire Department of New York worked with PenBay Solutions to roll out a new event management solution using InVision Secure software, a map-based public safety platform that leverages Esri® ArcGIS® Online.
New York, NY – February 6, 2014 – PenBay Solutions, developer of InVision software, was selected by the Fire Department of New York (FDNY) to configure and roll out a new event management solution for Super Bowl XLVIII based on the InVision Secure software platform.
Public Safety Challenges of Super Bowl XLVIII
Super Bowl XLVIII brought fans from across the country to the New York metro area, and while the game was the main event, there were hundreds of activities leading up to the game – everything from parties to press events. In true New York fashion, these pre-game events were carried out on a large scale including turning a cruise ship into a 4,000 room hotel, nightly concerts, and transforming 13 blocks of Broadway into Super Bowl Boulevard.
While these attractions provided entertainment to visitors and residents alike, they introduced significant challenges for the public safety organizations in charge of protecting these millions of people. To address the scale and complexity of the challenges – including the process of coordinating state, local, federal and private agencies – the Fire Department of New York worked with PenBay Solutions to roll out a new event management system to support planning and operations throughout the Super Bowl and the weeks leading up to it.
InVision Secure Public Safety Solution for Super Bowl XLVIII
The FDNY GIS Unit has been using InVision since 2012, and when it came time to address the complex public safety challenges of managing hundreds of pre-Super Bowl events, FDNY tapped PenBay to help implement additional InVision modules and capabilities. The system was delivered using InVision Secure and Esri ArcGIS Online to provide key capabilities to FDNY and their partners, including:
• Planning: Super Bowl planners used InVision Secure to create and manage event information as they mapped out their operational pre-plans using a set of public safety templates. For FDNY, this included the locations of field resources, street closures and routes and operational zones. InVision Secure enforced a foolproof review process that allowed user access only to approved and authorized event plans.
• Operations: In the week leading up to the game, FDNY and their partners used InVision Secure to support a full range of operational users, including those in the command and mobile command centers, resources in the field with mobile devices, and partner agency members. These users were able to see real-time feeds of current and upcoming events, venue information, and multiple layers of critical pre-planning and intelligence data. Whether accessing the application from the field or a command center, everyone was always looking at the same, up-to-date data, which was additionally used in printed maps.
• Situational Awareness: Using InVision Secure, FDNY could authorize users to access building information, venue schematics, live video feeds, floor plans, pre-incident guidelines, emergency action plans and subway data. Field users were able to create field notes from their mobile devices and attach photos, with the data instantly made visible back in the command centers.
"We are delighted to be of assistance to FDNY and the City of New York in planning and managing Super Bowl security and public safety," said Bill Barron, CEO of PenBay Solutions. "The thought leadership of FDNY and the strength and versatility of InVision Secure came together to effectively address the complex safety and security challenges of not just the Super Bowl itself, but for all the events leading up to it in the days preceding. Congratulations to New York and New Jersey for a fantastic and safe Super Bowl! We look forward to our continued work in supporting the city for future events."
About Penbay Solutions
PenBay Solutions, LLC, has developed the InVision software suite to cohesively address a full range facility management needs, from strategic portfolio planning and management, to day-to-day operations, maintenance and safety. InVision brings the visualization and analytical power of GIS (geographic information systems) to facilities data and workflows, helping users conceptualize information to substantiate decisions and identify new opportunities that support their organization’s strategic objectives. By eliminating the artificial technology boundary that has long separated the built environment between indoors and outdoors, InVision aggregates all facility and infrastructure data into a single, comprehensive, scalable solution for portfolio planning, operations, and safety and security. Learn more at www.penbaysolutions.com.