Volume 34
Issue 1 | 2002
Issue 1 | 2002
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| Privacy | Legal |
Volume 34
Issue 1 | 2002 |
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Paul H. Greenfield, P.E.
Program Leader
Remote Sensing Applications Center
Introduction
The fanfare is over, the athletes have gone home, and life has returned to normal in Utah. By all indications, the 2002 Winter Olympic Games proved to be a success with the only real controversy centering around the judging of some events. Before and during the games though, there was a great deal of concern about security. Following the tragic events of September 11, 2001, the world's eyes were on the United States as we were slated to host a major international event. Could we achieve the level of security necessary for our visitors and residents? Many similar questions were foremost on the minds of Olympic organizers, public officials, and a very concerned public.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service had a premiere role in Olympic security for the Snowbasin, UT, venue. Snowbasin was the site of the men and women's Alpine ski events, including the downhill, giant slalom, and super-G. Because the Snowbasin Ski Area was located almost entirely on National Forest System (NFS) lands, primary responsibility for the venue's security fell on the USDA Forest Service and the Weber County Sheriff's Office.
Engineering Assistance
The USDA Forest Service Remote Sensing Applications Center (RSAC) became involved with Olympic security after being contacted by Kim Christensen, Region 4 Law Enforcement and Investigations (LEI) and lead USDA Forest Service representative for Olympic security at Snowbasin, and Russ Arthur, R-8 LEI. Russ was involved in security arrangements for the 1996 Summer Olympic Games in Atlanta. RSAC has had an active program supporting USDA Forest Service law enforcement for many years and has been involved with airborne and satellite imagery applications for marijuana detection, timber theft, arson, and other special projects. Operating under the direction of the United States Secret Service, USDA Forest Service LEI was designated as the lead Federal Agency for the 2002 Olympic security at the Snowbasin venue.
Specifically, LEI needed imagery and image-derived products for security planning, officer orientation, and operational use during the games. RSAC had previously collected airborne imagery for road construction related to the access for Snowbasin, but now needed an entirely different product. Because the imagery would be used for different purposes, it was desirable for it to be digital and geo-corrected. That way, many different products could be generated without a great deal of image processing.
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