How to Throw a Secure New Year's Party

A security professional's month-by-month practical guide to hosting a successful gala.

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December 01, 2005 — CSO —

Jan. 1 (364 days until Day 0): Debrief

re: Johnson's party. Review video. Note positive, negative, unusual, suspicious. (Note: Wife cleared to attend.)

Feb. 1: Deadline for bids on motion detection system.

March 15: Store tentative guest list in encrypted database. Give PI access via disposable password to begin background checks.

April 30: Finalize menu. Have chef and caterer sign NDAs. Initialize catering vehicle scramble plan.

May 15: Conduct tabletop exercise of Day 0. Adjust plans as necessary.

May 29: Debrief re: Johnson's cookout. Review video with crowd-control expert.

Consider adapting Johnson's alcohol policy. (Note: Wife not cleared.)

June 9 (halfway to Day 0): Train roses on arbor-style metal detector. Review swatches for bullet-resistant formal wear. (Note: Navy, gray or black suit?)

July 15: Download satellite maps re: driving directions for invitations.

Aug. 15: Procure neighbors' signatures re: variance on possible noise violations. Test emergency generator. Interview plainclothes patrolmen to pose as guests. Erect Breathalyzer station. Dig 1'-by-3' trench around neighborhood for silent-trigger electrostatic trespass fence. Post signage in house (emergency exit routes, cell phone policy, directions to coat/sidearm check, etc.).

Sept. 19: Wedding anniversary (Note: TiVo 24!!!!!)

Oct. 31: Deploy PKI for secure e-mail invitations. Issue public certificate to invitees.

Nov. 11: Prepare dossiers on guests. (Note: Entering Red Zone!)

Dec. 1: Shopping day!

Shopping List:

  • Absolut Peppar, Noilly Prat (or similar with long, dry finish and lemony nose), shaker

  • Two cases 1945 The Macallan, Diet Coke

  • Rubber bullets

  • Fireworks

  • Halon tanks

  • Festive hats

Dec. 15: Day 0 Sim. Use Tommy's first-grade class as guests; Jenny's fourth-grade class plays catering staff; wife plays wife; dog plays me.

Dec. 29 (Day 2): Decorate; camouflage.

Dec. 30 (Day 1): Test home security system. Sweep neighborhood for unsecure wireless access points. Install modular Tempest shielding. Begin random stops of commercial vehicles in three-mile radius.

Dec. 31 (Day 0): 0500: Morning constitutional.

0900: Prepare eggnog. (Note: Add alcohol @ 2330 hours.)

1200: Charge taser.

1300: Feed dog.

1500: Catering staff arrives. (Note: Full pat-downs.)

1630: Family cleared to return to house. (Note: Random pat-downs.)

1700: Relax.

1710: Final walkthrough.

2000: Admit guests.

2215: Dinner served.

2359:40: Begin countdown at T-minus 20 seconds.

2400: Kiss wife, dog.

Jan. 1 0000:01 (Day 0 +1): Cheers!!! (Note: 0800 hours debrief w/Johnson.)

Read more about physical security in CSOonline's Physical Security section.

Other stories by Scott Berinato

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