14 DAY TRIAL // Night-vision cameras, mobile gamma-ray scanners, explosion-proof manhole covers and an $18 million (12.5 million EUR) regional operations center. No, we’re not talking about the latest James Bond movie, instead we’re referring to this year’s Super Bowl, considered by the organizers “the most technologically secure Super Bowl in the history of the Super Bowl.”
WISH and Public Intelligence provide the details for the most important game of the year, programmed to take place on February 5 at the Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
Besides the massive deployment of local and federal law enforcement representatives, the technological means that power this year’s security measures are extraordinary.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is sending an unspecified number of gamma-ray cargo and vehicle scanners to secure the location of the event. The Mobile Vehicle and Cargo Inspection Systems (VACIS) are supposedly designed to reveal even the secrets that may hide behind six inches of steel.
Authorities give a friendly warning to attendees, advising them not to try to smuggle any illegal objects inside the stadium since they’re keeping a close eye on anything that enters and the chances to get by them are pretty slim.
The mobile gamma-ray command center will be housed in a 51-foot Featherlite trailer, provided to the DHS by Verizon, its total price being estimated at around $1 million (700,000 EUR).
At this event, nothing is left to chance. Even the manhole covers are being secured to make sure that a potential underground explosion won’t cause them to fly around, injuring people and damaging vehicles.
Special covers that cost some $150,000 (105,000 EUR) were installed. These Swiveloc locking manhole covers are designed to lift a couple of inches off the ground, allowing potentially dangerous gases to come out, but not enough to feed in oxygen which would make the explosion even bigger.
A number of 75 night vision cameras were installed by the DHS and the FBI in the city and around the stadium, allowing authorities to access them from anywhere, including cars and helicopters.
The cherry on top of this magnificent cake is represented by the Regional Operations Center (ROC) which will serve as a fusion center for coordinating the various agencies responsible with making sure that incidents will be avoided.
All we can say now is: let the games begin!