Science Town 2.0: An integrating Concept for S&T Support for Multi-Agency Crisis and Disaster Management

Abstract : The Vancouver 2010 Olympics (V2010) and G8/G20 summits were the largest domestic security and law enforcement mobilization operation in Canadian history. The security footprint for the Vancouver 2010 Olympics theatre of operations included over 30 secure venue locations spanning 150 kilometers and covered approximately 15,000 square kilometers thereby surpassing all previous major events in scope, scale and complexity. To support the Vancouver 2010 Olympics and G8/G20 Major Events, unique federal Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, Explosives and Forensics (CBRNEf) capabilities were mobilized and operationalized in support of defence and security operations through the establishment of a mobile Science Town. The success of this deployment of CBRNEf capability has precipitated the development of a Concept of Operations (CONOPS) to ensure effective and efficient mobilization of such CBRNEf S&T support in the future. Recent national and global disasters (such as flooding, earthquakes, volcanic activity, hurricane, tsunamis and other weather phenomena) have highlighted the urgent requirement to harness and mobilize additional unique Federal S&T capabilities to support All Hazards Risk Assessment and disaster management to inform public safety and security decision making in a timely fashion. Modelling, Simulation & Analysis (MS&A) are known as crucial, effective and efficient enablers for the Defence Communities and have shown themselves as a proven capability in support of the national security domain as demonstrated through Vancouver 2010 Olympics and G8/G20 Summits (Masys and Vallerand, 2011). Through its mandate, the Centre for Security Science (CSS) is well positioned to leverage existing, unique, credible and authoritative MS&A and mobilize it to support decision making related to all hazards scenarios such as man-made and natural disasters. Such capabilities reside across the federal government, and if mobilized and operationalize