Webinar: 2016 Republican National Convention: ODOT’s RNC Preparation & Post-Event Review

Overview

The 2016 Republican National Convention (RNC) was held in Cleveland, OH from July 18th to July 21st, 2016. In leading up to this event, the Ohio DOT (ODOT) worked closely with the U.S. Secret Service and various local and regional authorities to ensure the security of the convention center area, as well as to minimize the adverse impacts to traffic operations from the influx of visitors.

This webinar will present a brief overview of the ODOT activities leading up to the RNC event, and will include a post-event evaluation of how the operations of the event were managed. In particular, the following items will be covered:

• Initial meetings with Secret Service
• Housing Locations
• Transportation of Delegates (routing)
• ODOT’s Preparation and readiness & staging  
• Communication Plan
• ODOT – OSHP Partnership and possible encounters on highways
• GPS – AVL - Cameras
• ODOT Operations Centers - TMC
  
   

Target Audience: The target audience for this webinar will be any public transportation agency practitioners engaged in future events with national security concerns. Additionally, individuals involved in the organization and execution of any large-scale special event, with considerable numbers of travelers unfamiliar with the event area, will find value in the content covered.

Learning Objectives:

• Importance of Peer Exchanges
• Establishing a well-defined communications plan
• Identifying resources and equipment
• Building Partnerships

Instructors:

• Moderators
  • Tom Corey
• Presenters
  • Carl Merckle (carl.merckle@dot.ohio.gov), Emergency Operations & TIM Coordinator, Ohio Department of Transportation: Carl has been with the Ohio Department of Transportation since 2000 and currently serves as the Emergency Operations and Traffic Incident Management Coordinator in ODOT’s Central Office, Division of Highway Operations, , Carl is Chair of the Ohio TIM/QuickClear Program; Serves as a panel member for the National Operations Center of Excellence and Transportation Research Board, he serves as a MASSTO Regional Coordinator, is the Department’s Liaison with the Homeland Security Strategic Analysis Information Center, he is an Intelligence Liaison Officer for Department of Homeland Security Fusion Center; and serves as Emergency Operations Center Coordinator for Transportation at the State Emergency Operations Center. Carl has served in the United States Army as an Infantryman from 1986 – 1989, a volunteer firefighter from 1998 -2016, and fire chief from 2009-2011. In addition, he was an emergency medical technician from 2000 -2014 and previously served as the Monroe County EMS Coordinator.
  • Howard Huebner (howard.huebner@dot.ohio.gov), ODOT District 3 Deputy Director: Howard Huebner has made ODOT his career, beginning in 1978 with ODOT District 12. Working his way from a delivery worker to a maintenance manager, eventually becoming the Highway Management Administrator, serving in that role for nearly 5 years. In July of 2015 Howard began serving as ODOT District 3 Deputy Director. He and his wife, Barbara, live in Strongsville and have two children and a grandson. 
  • Tom Corey (Thomas.Corey@dot.ohio.gov), Deputy Director of Operations, Ohio Department of Transportation: Tom currently serves a Deputy Director of the Division of Operations in ODOT’s central office in Columbus Ohio. He has oversight on the department’s snow and ice operations, highway maintenance, traffic management center, traffic incident management, and emergency operations. Tom has 21 years’ experience with the department and brings a wealth of real world knowledge to his current position. He started as a seasonal employee in 1995 and has worked up through the ranks within the department from highway worker, construction inspection, county management and previous to his current positon as a Highway Management Administrator for ODOT District 11 in New Philadelphia Ohio.
  • Staff Lieutenant Edward Mejia Jr. (emejia@dps.ohio.gov), Ohio State Patrol: S/Lt. Mejia joined the Patrol in May 1990 as a member of the 120th Academy Class. He received his commission in November of that year and was assigned to the Xenia Post, where he was selected as Post Trooper of the Year in 1993 and 2003. In 2005, he was promoted to the rank of sergeant and transferred to the Wilmington Post to serve as an assistant post commander. In 2009, he returned to the Xenia Post. In 2011, he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant and transferred to the Hamilton Post to serve as post commander. In June of 2014, S/Lt. Mejia was promoted to his current rank of Staff Lieutenant and transferred to the Patrol’s General Headquarters.  He currently serve as a commander in the Office of Field Operations. S/Lt. Mejia completed training at Northwestern University’s School of Police Staff and Command in 2010. He currently serves as the Highway Patrol’s Mobile Field Force Commander.  He also served in the United States Marine Corps from 1983 through 1987.