Politics

Security Detail high for 57th Presidential Inauguration

Washington, D.C. – The United States Secret Service in cooperation with its local, state and federal security, public safety and military partners, has developed an overall security plan for the 57th Presidential Inauguration.

Inaugural activities will take place beginning on Sunday, January 20 through Monday, January 21, 2013, with the Inaugural ceremonies scheduled for Monday, January 21.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has designated the Inaugural as a National Special Security Event (NSSE). When an event is designated an NSSE, the U.S. Secret Service assumes its role as the lead federal agency for the design and implementation of the operational security plan.

The Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), the U.S. Capitol Police and the U.S. Park Police, as well as a number of other local, state and federal agencies, will play a critical operational role in securing the Inauguration and resources will be deployed to maintain the appropriate level of security.

Viewing the Inaugural ceremonies from the U.S. Capitol grounds requires a ticket issued by the Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies. Information on tickets is available at http://www.inaugural.senate.gov/2013/getting-tickets

Recommended Metro exits for individuals with tickets include Capitol South, Eastern Market, Union Station, NoMa-Gallaudet
U (New York Ave.), Judiciary Square, Gallery Place Chinatown, Federal Center SW or L’Enfant Plaza. Additional information on the Inaugural ceremonies is available at

Home

Viewing the Inaugural ceremonies from the National Mall does not require tickets. The nonticketed area of the National Mall begins at 4th Street NW, and extends towards the Washington
Monument.

Entry points to the non-ticketed portion of the National Mall are located at:

– Constitution Avenue NW at 7th Street NW, 9th Street NW and 12th Street NW

– Independence Avenue SW at 7th Street SW and 12th Street SW

Individuals using Metro to access the Inaugural events, including the non-ticketed area of the National Mall, are advised to:

– Use Metro’s interactive “What’s My Best Route” tool at http://www.wmata.com/inauguration to find the best station to use near the National Mall.

– Exit at a station on the same line as where they started their trip to avoid transferring.

– Avoid high-traffic stations near the Capitol including Capitol South, Union Station, Judiciary Square or Federal Center SW stations

An important reminder for all Metro riders is that the Smithsonian, Archives and Mt Vernon Square Metro stations will be closed on Inauguration Day.

For additional information from Metro, including walking maps and travel tips, please visit http://www.wmata.com/inauguration

The following security measures will be in place for the 57th Presidential Inauguration:

– Downtown Area Road Closures

Vehicle restricted zones will be in effect beginning at 7 a.m. on Sunday, January 20, through 7 a.m. on Tuesday, January 22. Restrictions will be implemented on a rolling schedule, beginning at Pennsylvania Avenue NW from 2nd Street NW to 15th Street NW.

All closures will be in place by the morning of Monday, January 21. All vehicular road closures in Washington, D.C., will be instituted by MPD.

Inquiries pertaining to road closures should be directed to the MPD Office of Public Information at (202) 727-4383. Details regarding road closures will be available online at
http://www.inauguration.dc.gov and http://www.secretservice.gov

– Security Screenings: All attendees, including general public and ticketed guests, will be subject to a thorough security screening before entering the Inaugural parade route, the White House reviewing stand and the Inaugural balls. Please allow for additional time for this security screening, as it is expected that lines may be long.

– General Prohibited Items: As a security precaution, the following items will be prohibited from the Inaugural parade route, the White House reviewing stand and the Inaugural balls:

– Aerosols
– Ammunition
– Animals other than helper/guide dogs
– Backpacks
– Bags and signs exceeding size restrictions (8″x6″x4″)
– Bicycles
– Balloons
– Coolers
– Explosives
– Firearms
– Glass or thermal containers
– Laser pointers
– Mace / Pepper spray
– Packages
– Structures
– Supports for signs and placards
– Weapons of any kind
– Any other items determined to be potential safety hazards

Signs and placards must be made only of cardboard, poster board or cloth and have dimensions no greater than three feet in width, 20 feet in length and one-quarter inch in thickness.

Surrendered items will not be returned, nor available for pick-up.

Parade Route Entry Points: The following public entry points will open at 6:30 a.m. on Monday, January 21, 2013, and will remain open until the parade route can no longer accommodate additional people.

– 2nd Street NW and C Street NW
– John Marshall Park at C Street NW
– Indiana Avenue NW between 6th Street NW and 7th Street NW
– 7th Street NW and D Street NW
– 10th Street NW and E Street NW
– 12th Street NW and E Street NW
– 13th Street NW and E Street NW
– 14th Street NW and E Street NW
– 12th Street NW and Constitution Avenue NW
– 10th Street NW and Constitution Avenue NW
– 7th Street NW and Constitution Avenue NW
– Constitution Avenue NW between 6th Street NW and 7th Street NW

All parade route security screening entry points will be able to accommodate individuals with disabilities.

– Prohibited Items at the U.S. Capitol: The following items will be prohibited from the ticketed viewing areas at the U.S. Capitol grounds:
– Aerosol sprays
– Air horns
– Alcoholic beverages
– Animals (other than service animals)
– Backpacks
– Coolers
– Duffel bags
– Explosives of any kind (including fireworks)
– Firearms and ammunition (either real or simulated)
– Glass containers
– Knives, blades or sharp objects (of any length)
– Large bags
– Laser pointers
– Mace and/or pepper spray
– Packages
– Pocket or hand tools, such as “Leatherman” tools
– Portable chairs (other than those for disabled persons)
– Posters
– Signs
– Sticks or poles
– Strollers
– Suitcases
– Thermoses
– Umbrellas
– Other items that may pose a threat to the security of the event as determined by and at the discretion of the security screener

– Cold Weather Preparedness: The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reminds attendees to plan ahead to prevent cold-weather related health problems. Infants and the elderly are particularly at risk, but anyone can be affected.

Attendees of all ages will likely need hats, water-resistant coats, scarves or knit masks to cover the face and mouth, and gloves or mittens. Mittens are warmer than gloves. Wool, silk or polypropylene inner layers of clothing will hold in more body heat than cotton.

Perspiration can increase heat loss, and wet clothing can chill the body rapidly. To prevent cold-related health problems, dress in layers of loose-fitting clothes, including extra socks, which can be removed as they become damp. For more information on cold weather and avoiding hypothermia and frostbite, visit http://emergency.cdc.gov/disasters/winter/

Air Security: A combined air security plan will be implemented to provide airspace security for the Washington metropolitan area. Enhanced airspace restrictions on general aviation have been released and can be accessed online at the Federal Aviation Administration web page at www.faa.gov. Pilot inquiries should be directed to 866-598-9522.

Water Security: There will be an enhanced security presence on the waterways around Washington, D.C. Inquires should be directed to the U.S. Coast Guard via marine band radio VHF channel 16 or the Metropolitan Police Department Harbor Patrol at 202-727-4582.

Information will be available prior to and during Inauguration day on social media sites such as Twitter. To see Inauguration related material, please use #inaug2013. Some of the Twitter sites being used to communicate information from the Inaugural public safety and security partners
include:
– District Department of Transportation – @ddotdc
– Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies – @jccic2013
– Joint Task Force-National Capital Region – @JTFNCR
– National Terrorism Advisory System – @NTASAlerts
– Office of the D.C. Mayor – @MayorVinceGray
– Secret Service – @SecretService
– U.S. Department of Homeland Security – @DHSgov
– WMATA – @metroinaug

Emergency alerts and public notifications regarding the Inauguration will be available via text messaging. To receive these messages, text the word “INAUGURATION” to 888777. Text messaging fees may apply according to your cellular plan.

Additional information for charter operators, as well as residents of the District, Virginia and Maryland, is available online through the following websites:

– DDOT – http://www.gettingthere.dc.gov
– Maryland Department of Transportation – http://www.marylandtransportation.com
– National Capital Region Updates – http://www.capitalregionupdates.gov
– Virginia State Police – http://www.vsp.virginia.gov
– Washington Area Metropolitan Transit Authority – http://www.wmata.com

In addition, Inaugural information is available on the following sites to help those planning to attend the inaugural events:
– Presidential Inaugural Committee – http://www.2013pic.org
– Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies –

Home


– D.C. Presidential Inaugural Committee – http://www.inauguration.dc.gov
– United States Secret Service – http://www.secretservice.gov

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