World Renowned Children’s Research Hospital Security Assessments

Challenge

A multi-faceted facility with a high public profile, many stakeholders and a historic perspective of security being a guard and transportation service, prevented a holistic view of risks and potential mitigations from being considered. A previous assessment had been very superficial and contributed to the lack of awareness about potential threats, especially given the facility’s location in a high-crime urban area.

Solution

TRC’s 16-person assessment team observed the campus and visited 40+ buildings over multiple days and weeks to focus on different areas of the facility, critical assets, observe high-profile events and understand how the organization operated from a security (and safety) perspective. We developed prioritized recommendations and a Security Master Plan that synced with a campus redevelopment and expansion plan. The assessment team included:

• Former law enforcement command personnel
• Structural engineer
• Architect
• Blast and ballistic expert
• Attack planners
• Physical security experts
• Emergency planners
• Security systems designers

The assessment analyzed specific critical components of the campus and conducted interviews with key staff and stakeholders from the guard service, grounds crews and cafeteria staff to doctors, biomedical scientists and the C-suite. The team interviewed over 110 people representing various aspects and perspectives of the facility either in person or via virtual meetings.

Recommended improvements are being implemented and TRC continues to be a trusted partner, providing ongoing consultation and solutions to challenges that emerge from an expanding campus and the impacts of a dynamic urban community.

Results

After multiple assignments with this client, TRC recently executed a Master Services Agreement to provide ongoing support across many facets of the organization and remain on-call for any number of tasks including design, project/security asset bid support, and expert security consulting.