Worldwide
Conflict
Response
2024 Paris Olympics
The 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris presented a unique set of challenges due to the high-profile nature of the event, increased security threats, and complex logistics of managing VIP movements across a bustling city with competing security priorities where heads of state, corporate executives, and celebrities where in attendance.
Vigilis Group was contracted by a consortium of private clients, including multinational corporations and government delegations, to manage the security and movement of VIPs during the event.
Solution Implemented by Vigilis:
-
Risk Assessment and Threat Intelligence:
- Vigilis began with a detailed risk assessment, analyzing potential threats and vulnerabilities specific to each VIP’s profile. Utilizing open-source intelligence, cyber threat monitoring, and insights from local law enforcement, the team developed and continuously updated threat models.
- Advanced analytics were employed to predict patterns of unrest or potential flashpoints in the city, allowing for proactive adjustments to travel plans.
-
On-Site Coordination and Communication:
- Vigilis established an on-site command center in Paris, serving as the central hub for coordinating VIP movements, managing communications, and rapidly responding to any incidents.
- Secure communication channels were set up for all personnel involved, including encrypted radios and GPS tracking devices for real-time location monitoring of vehicles and VIPs.
-
Customized Security and Transport Plans:
- Tailored security plans were developed for each VIP, including personal security details, secure transport vehicles with counter-surveillance capabilities, and designated security drivers trained in evasive driving techniques.
- Routes were meticulously planned and continuously updated based on real-time data, including road closures, protests, or any identified threats. Each route included multiple contingency paths to ensure flexibility in movement and immediate response in case of a security incident.
-
Integration with Local and National Authorities:
- Vigilis worked closely with French law enforcement, Olympic security teams, and private event security. This collaboration ensured a coordinated response to any emerging threats and access to restricted areas.
- Special passes and permits were arranged in advance, allowing VIPs to bypass public security checkpoints and ensuring a smooth transition between events.
-
Emergency Response and Medical Preparedness:
- Emergency evacuation procedures were designed for each venue with medical support also integrated, including access to private medical staff and immediate transport capabilities to nearby hospitals if needed.
- Detailed protocols were in place for various scenarios, including active shooter incidents, protests, or sudden road blockages, ensuring that VIPs could be safely and quickly extracted.
Outcome:
- Zero Security Incidents: All VIPs under Vigilis’s care were safely transported to and from their destinations without any security breaches or delays.
- Efficient Movement Despite High Traffic: The use of alternative routes and real-time data allowed Vigilis to navigate the congested urban environment efficiently, ensuring that VIPs arrived on time for all scheduled events.
- Positive Client Feedback: The discreet and professional handling of security concerns resulted in high satisfaction from clients, reinforcing Vigilis’s reputation for excellence in high-stakes environments.
Conclusion:
The success of Vigilis in managing the safety and movement of VIPs during the 2024 Paris Olympics was a testament to its expertise in risk assessment, strategic planning, and real-time coordination. By integrating advanced technology with skilled personnel and close cooperation with local authorities, Vigilis ensured a secure and seamless experience for its high-profile clients in one of the most challenging operational environments imaginable.
Key Takeaways:
- The importance of proactive threat assessment and continuous monitoring in dynamic environments.
- Effective coordination between private security and public law enforcement is crucial for large-scale events.
- Real-time adaptability and contingency planning are key to managing complex urban security challenges.
2022-2023 Political Unrest in Peru
In December 2022, Peru experienced severe political unrest following the controversial ousting of President Pedro Castillo, which led to widespread protests, strikes, and violent clashes between demonstrators and security forces. The unrest, which centered in Lima but quickly spread to other major cities, resulted in road blockages, attacks on infrastructure, and a breakdown of public services, creating a volatile and dangerous environment for both locals and expatriates.
Amid this chaos, multinational companies operating in Peru, including those in mining, energy, and financial sectors, faced significant threats to their personnel and assets. Vigilis Group was engaged to provide immediate crisis management services, secure evacuations, and support business continuity efforts for its clients.
Objective:
To ensure the safety of personnel, secure company assets, and maintain business operations during the political unrest in Peru by providing crisis response, secure evacuations, and operational support.
Challenges:
- Widespread Protests and Violence: Protests were marked by violence, including looting, arson, and clashes with police, particularly around government buildings, major highways, and business districts.
- Disruption of Transportation and Supply Chains: Roadblocks, strikes, and fuel shortages disrupted transportation, making it difficult to move personnel and secure supplies.
- Communication Failures: Intermittent power outages and targeted attacks on communication infrastructure created challenges for coordinating responses and maintaining contact with employees.
- Unpredictable Security Environment: The rapidly changing nature of the unrest, with protests erupting spontaneously, posed ongoing security risks to both individuals and business operations.
Solution Implemented by Vigilis:
Immediate Risk Assessment and Situation Monitoring:
- Vigilis deployed Crisis Response Teams (CRT) to Lima and other key locations to conduct on-ground risk assessments and establish secure communication links with client companies.
- The team utilized real-time intelligence from local sources, social media monitoring, and direct liaisons with Peruvian security forces to track protest movements and identify emerging hotspots.
Secure Personnel Movement and Evacuation Planning:
- Evacuation plans were tailored to each client’s needs, prioritizing high-risk personnel, expatriates, and families. Safe assembly points were established outside major conflict zones.
- Vigilis organized secure convoys using contracted local drivers familiar with alternative routes to bypass blockades paired with Vigilis. Helicopter evacuations were arranged for areas completely cut off by road closures.
- Personnel were relocated to secure hotels and temporary accommodations in coastal cities like Callao and Arequipa, which were less affected by the unrest.
Coordination with Local Authorities and International Partners:
- Vigilis worked closely with the Peruvian National Police, embassies, and other international agencies to facilitate safe passage for personnel and ensure compliance with local laws during evacuations.
- The team coordinated with local military units to gain access to restricted areas, particularly in instances where personnel were trapped near high-risk zones.
Crisis Communication and Family Support:
- Vigilis established a 24/7 crisis hotline to provide updates and manage communications between on-ground teams, company management, and family members of those affected.
- Regular situation reports were issued to clients, detailing risk levels, security updates, and recommended actions to ensure personnel safety.
Asset Protection and Business Continuity Measures:
- Vigilis conducted security assessments of critical business sites, implementing measures to safeguard against looting and vandalism, including increased security personnel, surveillance systems, and emergency lockdown procedures.
- To maintain operations, Vigilis helped set up remote working capabilities for critical staff and arranged post action solutions to bypass disrupted supply chains, including rerouting essential goods through alternative ports and less affected regions.
Medical Support and Emergency Preparedness:
- Mobile medical units were deployed to provide emergency care for personnel injured during protests or in need of medical assistance due to disrupted local services.
- Psychological support services were offered to help personnel cope with the stress and anxiety associated with the ongoing unrest.
Outcome:
- Safe Evacuation of Over 200 Personnel and Families: Vigilis successfully evacuated over 200 individuals, including employees, dependents, and key contractors, to safer locations within Peru and, where necessary, to neighboring countries such as Chile and Colombia.
- Asset Protection and No Major Losses: Vigilis’s security measures prevented any significant damage or loss to client assets, despite widespread looting and vandalism in other areas.
- Continued Business Operations: Through quick adaptation and alternative logistical arrangements, client companies were able to maintain critical business functions, minimizing operational downtime and financial losses.
- High Satisfaction and Enhanced Client Trust: Vigilis’s proactive approach and transparent communication earned high praise from clients, who valued the expertise and calm leadership provided during a highly unstable period.
Conclusion:
Vigilis Group’s effective response during the 2022-2023 political unrest in Peru demonstrated its capacity to manage complex, high-risk environments and protect clients’ interests amid severe disruption. By leveraging on-ground intelligence, secure logistics, and close coordination with local and international partners, Vigilis ensured the safety of personnel, safeguarded assets, and supported ongoing business operations during a period of significant turmoil.
Early Days of the Ukraine War
In February 2022, the sudden outbreak of war in Ukraine caught many companies and expatriates by surprise as Russian forces launched a full-scale invasion. The rapid escalation of conflict led to mass evacuations from major cities like Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Odesa. Amid widespread chaos, air raids, and rapidly changing frontlines, businesses struggled to secure the safety of their personnel. With airports closed, roads congested, and public transportation disrupted, the situation became increasingly perilous for those trying to flee.
Vigilis Group was engaged by a consortium of multinational companies, NGOs, and diplomatic missions to manage the evacuation of their employees, contractors, and families from Ukraine to neighboring countries.
Objective:
To execute an in-extremis safe and efficient evacuation of personnel and their families from Ukraine during the early days of the war, ensuring their safety amidst an unpredictable and rapidly deteriorating security environment.
Challenges:
- Active Combat Zone: Ukraine being turned an active combat zone plagued with street to street fighting, artillery shelling, and airstrikes posed severe risks to movement, making traditional evacuation routes highly dangerous.
- Logistical and Transportation Issues: Major airports were shut down, rail services were overwhelmed, and roads were heavily congested with civilians fleeing the conflict. Fuel shortages with just the first 24 hours of the conflict, along with damaged infrastructure further complicated evacuation efforts.
- Communication Disruptions: Power outages, cyberattacks, and damaged communication networks made it difficult to maintain contact with personnel on the ground and coordinate evacuations.
- Changing Borders and Immigration Regulations: Shifting frontlines and rapidly changing immigration policies at border crossings created confusion and delays, complicating efforts to move people out of the country.
Solution Implemented by Vigilis:
Rapid Deployment of Crisis Response Teams (CRT):
- Vigilis deployed CRTs to neighboring countries, Lviv and other relatively safer cities in western Ukraine to serve as staging areas for evacuation operations. These teams included security specialists, logistics experts, and medical personnel.
- An operations command center was established in Poland, to oversee the evacuation, manage communication with clients, and coordinate movements across the border.
Real-Time Intelligence and Route Planning:
- Vigilis utilized real-time intelligence feeds, satellite imagery, and local contacts to monitor the conflict’s progression and identify the safest evacuation routes. This included continuously updated assessments of road conditions, checkpoints, and conflict zones.
- Multiple evacuation routes were planned and tested, including primary, secondary, and tertiary paths, to ensure flexibility in response to sudden changes in the security landscape.
Secure Ground Transportation and Convoys:
- Vigilis arranged secure convoys using a combination of armored vehicles and discreet local transport, driven by personnel with heavy experience operating in conflict zones.
- Convoys were timed to avoid peak traffic periods and known combat areas, and were supported by mobile security teams to provide immediate response capabilities in case of ambush or roadblocks.
Coordination with Local Authorities and Border Agencies:
- Vigilis worked closely with local Ukrainian officials, border agencies, and neighboring country consulates to facilitate swift border crossings, ensuring all paperwork and permissions were pre-arranged to minimize delays.
- Special diplomatic corridors were utilized when available, allowing personnel to bypass the worst of the congested border points.
Emergency Communication Systems:
- Portable satellite communication units were deployed to maintain consistent contact with evacuees, enabling the relay of critical information regarding route changes, border conditions, and safety protocols.
- Family liaison officers were set up in neighboring countries, keeping families informed and ensuring a smooth reunification process once evacuees reached safety.
Medical and Psychological Support:
- On-ground medical teams provided first aid and emergency medical support for evacuees suffering from injuries, stress, and exhaustion. Psychological support was also offered to help individuals cope with trauma.
- Vigilis equipped evacuation vehicles with emergency supplies, including food, water, blankets, and medical kits, to support evacuees during long waits at border crossings.
Outcome:
- Evacuation of Over 750 Personnel and Families: Vigilis successfully evacuated over 750 individuals, including employees, dependents, and contractors, to neighboring EU countries within the first two weeks of the conflict.
- Zero Casualties and Minimal Delays: Despite the complex and dangerous conditions, the evacuations were completed without casualties, and coordination with local authorities ensured minimal delays at border crossings.
- Operational Continuity for Clients: Vigilis provided post-evacuation support, including accommodation arrangements, continuation of work for key personnel from remote locations, and assistance in setting up temporary staging areas in safer regions.
- High Satisfaction and Positive Feedback: Clients praised Vigilis for its swift, well-coordinated response and the professionalism of its teams under extreme pressure. The successful operation reinforced Vigilis’s reputation as a reliable partner in high-risk environments.
Conclusion:
Vigilis Group’s rapid and effective response during the early days of the Ukraine war underscored its ability to operate in high-risk conflict zones, providing critical evacuation and crisis management services when it mattered most. Through careful planning, real-time intelligence, and seamless coordination with local and international agencies, Vigilis ensured the safe extraction of personnel under some of the most challenging conditions one can encounter.
Key Takeaways:
- Real-time intelligence and adaptable route planning are essential for successful evacuations in active conflict zones.
- Collaboration with local authorities and international partners can significantly enhance evacuation efforts, especially when borders and regulations are constantly changing.
- Providing comprehensive support, including medical and psychological care, is crucial in managing the human element of crises and ensuring the well-being of evacuees.
In February 2022, the sudden outbreak of war in Ukraine caught many companies and expatriates by surprise as Russian forces launched a full-scale invasion. The rapid escalation of conflict led to mass evacuations from major cities like Kyiv, Kharkiv, and Odesa. Amid widespread chaos, air raids, and rapidly changing frontlines, businesses struggled to secure the safety of their personnel. With airports closed, roads congested, and public transportation disrupted, the situation became increasingly perilous for those trying to flee.
Vigilis Group was engaged by a consortium of multinational companies, NGOs, and diplomatic missions to manage the evacuation of their employees, contractors, and families from Ukraine to neighboring countries.
Objective:
To execute an in-extremis safe and efficient evacuation of personnel and their families from Ukraine during the early days of the war, ensuring their safety amidst an unpredictable and rapidly deteriorating security environment.
Challenges:
- Active Combat Zone: Ukraine being turned an active combat zone plagued with street to street fighting, artillery shelling, and airstrikes posed severe risks to movement, making traditional evacuation routes highly dangerous.
- Logistical and Transportation Issues: Major airports were shut down, rail services were overwhelmed, and roads were heavily congested with civilians fleeing the conflict. Fuel shortages with just the first 24 hours of the conflict, along with damaged infrastructure further complicated evacuation efforts.
- Communication Disruptions: Power outages, cyberattacks, and damaged communication networks made it difficult to maintain contact with personnel on the ground and coordinate evacuations.
- Changing Borders and Immigration Regulations: Shifting frontlines and rapidly changing immigration policies at border crossings created confusion and delays, complicating efforts to move people out of the country.
Solution Implemented by Vigilis:
Rapid Deployment of Crisis Response Teams (CRT):
- Vigilis deployed CRTs to neighboring countries, Lviv and other relatively safer cities in western Ukraine to serve as staging areas for evacuation operations. These teams included security specialists, logistics experts, and medical personnel.
- An operations command center was established in Poland, to oversee the evacuation, manage communication with clients, and coordinate movements across the border.
Real-Time Intelligence and Route Planning:
- Vigilis utilized real-time intelligence feeds, satellite imagery, and local contacts to monitor the conflict’s progression and identify the safest evacuation routes. This included continuously updated assessments of road conditions, checkpoints, and conflict zones.
- Multiple evacuation routes were planned and tested, including primary, secondary, and tertiary paths, to ensure flexibility in response to sudden changes in the security landscape.
Secure Ground Transportation and Convoys:
- Vigilis arranged secure convoys using a combination of armored vehicles and discreet local transport, driven by personnel with heavy experience operating in conflict zones.
- Convoys were timed to avoid peak traffic periods and known combat areas, and were supported by mobile security teams to provide immediate response capabilities in case of ambush or roadblocks.
Coordination with Local Authorities and Border Agencies:
- Vigilis worked closely with local Ukrainian officials, border agencies, and neighboring country consulates to facilitate swift border crossings, ensuring all paperwork and permissions were pre-arranged to minimize delays.
- Special diplomatic corridors were utilized when available, allowing personnel to bypass the worst of the congested border points.
Emergency Communication Systems:
- Portable satellite communication units were deployed to maintain consistent contact with evacuees, enabling the relay of critical information regarding route changes, border conditions, and safety protocols.
- Family liaison officers were set up in neighboring countries, keeping families informed and ensuring a smooth reunification process once evacuees reached safety.
Medical and Psychological Support:
- On-ground medical teams provided first aid and emergency medical support for evacuees suffering from injuries, stress, and exhaustion. Psychological support was also offered to help individuals cope with trauma.
- Vigilis equipped evacuation vehicles with emergency supplies, including food, water, blankets, and medical kits, to support evacuees during long waits at border crossings.
Outcome:
- Evacuation of Over 750 Personnel and Families: Vigilis successfully evacuated over 750 individuals, including employees, dependents, and contractors, to neighboring EU countries within the first two weeks of the conflict.
- Zero Casualties and Minimal Delays: Despite the complex and dangerous conditions, the evacuations were completed without casualties, and coordination with local authorities ensured minimal delays at border crossings.
- Operational Continuity for Clients: Vigilis provided post-evacuation support, including accommodation arrangements, continuation of work for key personnel from remote locations, and assistance in setting up temporary staging areas in safer regions.
- High Satisfaction and Positive Feedback: Clients praised Vigilis for its swift, well-coordinated response and the professionalism of its teams under extreme pressure. The successful operation reinforced Vigilis’s reputation as a reliable partner in high-risk environments.
Conclusion:
Vigilis Group’s rapid and effective response during the early days of the Ukraine war underscored its ability to operate in high-risk conflict zones, providing critical evacuation and crisis management services when it mattered most. Through careful planning, real-time intelligence, and seamless coordination with local and international agencies, Vigilis ensured the safe extraction of personnel under some of the most challenging conditions one can encounter.
Key Takeaways:
- Real-time intelligence and adaptable route planning are essential for successful evacuations in active conflict zones.
- Collaboration with local authorities and international partners can significantly enhance evacuation efforts, especially when borders and regulations are constantly changing.
- Providing comprehensive support, including medical and psychological care, is crucial in managing the human element of crises and ensuring the well-being of evacuees.