By
in
The Cincinnati Zoo made headlines recently when a young boy fell into the Gorilla World exhibit which housed 11 Lowland Silverback Gorillas. A 400 pound gorilla named Hambre dragged the boy through a mote filled with water. After the boy spent 10 minutes in the grasp of the large ape, the zoo’s security team shot Hambre in order to save the boy.
In an attempt to reconstruct the events leading up to the boy’s fall into the Gorilla enclosure, the zoo tried to scan the content on their security camera only to find that the cameras were not working properly. The Cincinnati Zoo has since replaced all the cameras and redesigned the exhibit with extra netting and bars to preclude such a fall from happening again.
First and foremost this story highlights the tremendous impact of a competent security team. Because of proper training and skill, the quick thinking security staff saved the life of a little boy. While, our security workers never strive to be the main event, our presence in the background of your event cannot be underestimated.
Another notable point is that regular maintenance of security systems is crucial. In this case the Cincinnati Zoo had to piece together eye witness accounts in order to asses exactly how to boy got into the Gorilla enclosure. Though they had initiated a good system, without maintenance the cameras were ineffective.
Always make sure that batteries are functional and all machines are operational.
Our goal is to provide safety, not spectacle. You make the headlines, let our dedicated professionals at ISSM Protective Services keep the atmosphere safe.
