George Washington appreciated both the need for, and the value of, security and preparedness. He successfully exploited the lack of both when he caught the Hessians off guard with that famous crossing of the Delaware River.
He would be proud of how the stewards of his home adhere to both in this era of uncertainty and undefined battle lines. Mount Vernon Estate may fall within the definition of what national security gurus refer to as "a potential soft target" but, that all depends on the interpretation of soft.
"Between our electronic technology and human security force we believe that we have excellent emergency preparedness. Not just for terrorism but for any kind of emergency," said James C. Rees, executive director, Mount Vernon Estate.
"The impression I get from speaking with various people involved in assessing security, such as the State's chief of security, what Mount Vernon had even prior to 9/11 was far superior to most places like this," Rees added.
"Our size is both a blessing and our biggest challenge. With over 500 acres we are able to have visitors spread out over a large area rather than being bunched in a given pocket. But, it also presents our biggest challenge because it involves woods, fields, many buildings and the river," he emphasized.
THAT CHALLENGE is the direct responsibility of Frank L. Duley, director of security for the Estate for the past 13 years. Prior to coming to Mount Vernon he served in a similar role at the Peabody Museum in Salem, Mass.
"The FBI puts out regular alerts and we are notified immediately of any change in the alert status, such as the recent escalation from yellow to orange. Security staff holds a full briefing every morning," Duley said.
"We had a full staff meeting last week to inform everyone what to do in case of a code red alert," Rees said. "But, I believe that if a red alert were issued it would be of a pinpointed nature, not something nationwide," Duley said.
"We have a lot of contacts with other museums and with the National Gallery to compare information and methods. We are also quite close with both the Park Police and the Fairfax County Police Department," he assured.
"Fairfax County has already done an emergency preparedness analysis for Mount Vernon," Duley noted. "And, we have a meeting coming up on hazardous material procedures," Rees added.
IN ADDITION TO THE Estate's multi-talented security force, the majority of the staff has been trained in security procedures and emergency preparedness, according to Duley and Rees.
"Our security guards range in age from 23 to retired former police officers," Duley explained. "One of our parttimers is a full time security chief for a major area corporation. It is that kind of expertise we are relying on."
Rees pointed out, "We have our own fire department as first responders. Even our shop clerks are trained to be first responders."
A comprehensive disaster and emergency preparedness plan has been developed and distributed to all Estate personnel. "We have developed different plans telling people where to go and where not to go in case of an emergency," Rees clarified.
"We also have very good medical capabilities on site. Even the bike riders who use the trail along the Parkway know they can come here to get medical care if they need to," Duley said.
AS PART OF ITS security/preparedness complement, the Estate uses a fleet of golf carts that can traverse the terrain and get to any location quickly. They can be used to deploy security personnel or retrieve visitors that need medical attention. "We take care of our visitors," Duley said.
"We also have a trailer that can be taken to the mansion to secure precious artifacts. It was given to us by the Haymarket Masonic Lodge," Rees verified.
Mount Vernon Estate has its own water wells. These are backed up by the Fairfax County public water system.
That security force is not your average passive, no weapons group of "rent-a-cops." Duley pointed out, "Our officers are trained in the use of handguns. We had nine millimeters donated to us last month.
"For years we didn't have any armed day officers. Now we do. They are spread out over the Estate and backed up by cameras, some very visible, some you will never know are there. The cameras are cutting edge with very sophisticated zoom lens and able to operate in very low light."
Like most public facilities today, Mount Vernon checks visitor bags at the gate which wasn't done pre-9/11. "We are also asking people to leave backpacks on the tour buses or in their cars," Rees said. "Actually, they're a lot more comfortable without those heavy backpacks. That's a lot of weight to carry around for the time they spend here."
NONE OF THIS comes cheap. "We spend more than $800,000 per year on our 24 hour security which covers both the human element and advanced technology," Rees emphasized.
Rees admitted the Estate has experienced a "significant drop in tourists since 9/11." Before that date "we had two really great years and were building. Now we're down about 20 to 25 percent," he acknowledged.
Mount Vernon Estate has never depended on either the State or Federal government for support. But, they are very supportive of the increased communications between the various government agencies. However, Duley is seeking a new Fairfax County radio to replace his present one which no longer operates on the county's new emergency frequency.
Among the equipment recently added to their emergency preparedness arsenal are two defibriliators. "They are much easier to use and much smaller than they used to be," Duley assured. "They even talk you through the procedure."
Duley noted that one of the major factors in his decision to become head of Mount Vernon Estate security was the commitment to preparedness. "Mount Vernon has always supported security and it shows. That's why I came here," he said.