Today’s Washington Post article describing the security plans for inauguration has earned a spot in my Inaug-Apocalypse series. Full article here. A few especially apocalyptic lines below.
The Secret Service is overseeing the inaugural security plan, working with 57 other federal and local agencies. Twenty-three subcommittees are focusing on issues ranging from explosives to civil disturbances to the airspace.
D.C. and federal officials have provided varying estimates for the anticipated size of the crowd that will turn out for the inauguration of the nation’s first African American president. Lately, they’ve settled on between 1.5 million and 3 million. Predicting the turnout is difficult because of such unknowns as the weather.
Using a Homeland Security grant, the D.C. government is installing a $350,000 set of special loudspeakers, which use sonar technology, along Pennsylvania Avenue and the Mall, according to District officials. Dozens of prerecorded messages will be ready to play for the crowds.
