Lessons in Resilience: Reflections on Large-Scale Event Risk Management at the 2024 Olympic Games

Large-scale events like the Olympic Games create heightened threats – including geopolitical tensions, crime, civil unrest, cyberattacks, environmental concerns, and terrorism. A proactive approach is standard operating procedure for Crisis24, and its local intelligence analysts in Paris began preliminary risk assessments over a year before the Games began.

In early 2024, the flow of information to clients intensified. In April, monthly briefings were dedicated to a specific deep-dive security topic, and by July, briefings evolved into weekly updates on potential disruptions. Clients received early threat assessments through a business continuity lens, shifting from monthly to daily and finally to real-time reporting as the Games neared. Embedded analysts also began providing support to their clients many months before the Games began, working as an extension of the clients’ internal teams.

Real-time monitoring and reporting continued throughout the Games with dedicated extra resources, and analysts coordinated across time zones in Singapore, Europe, and the US to ensure comprehensive coverage. In-country Crisis24 experts also aligned their procedures with the International Olympic Committee and local French security agencies to ensure clients received the most timely and relevant information.

“Long before the first brief was sent to clients, our team in Paris was in preparation mode,” said Chris Clough, Lead Intelligence Analyst, who is based in Crisis24’s Paris office.  “We leveraged the intelligence and local insights we had to get the boots-on-the-ground perspective. It’s a real strategic advantage for our clients.”  

From July 15 through Sept. 15, Crisis24 issued nearly 1,000 alerts and incident reports. Implementing a lower threshold for incident reporting enabled Crisis24 to capture and share more granular details. This level of precision is a testament to the skill of Crisis24 analysts – and provides clients with the best possible insights for making informed decisions on mitigating risk and forging resilience.  

For Crisis24, integrating medical expertise into security planning was vital to ensuring the safety of clients – and began over a year in advance. This included on-site assessments of hospitals to identify suitable medical facilities, establishing access and financial procedures with local network partners, building relationships with local physicians, developing contingency plans, advising clients on preventative health measures, and deploying a raft of medical services during the Games.

The Games illustrated how human expertise and critical event management technology can converge to deliver the intelligence, insights, and superior user experience that clients expect.  

“We considered our clients’ perspective right from the beginning, said Cathy Gill, Vice President, Product Management, Crisis24. “What needs are they telling us they have? What needs do we anticipate they will have? And how can we fulfill those needs as comprehensively and seamlessly as possible? Our technology platforms must address those questions.”

Informed is empowered, and integrating Crisis24 Horizon with TopoONE platforms provided clients with a “single pane of glass” to guide decision-making. From a live, tactical display, clients could plot their assets on the dashboard map and monitor events. For a more in-depth perspective, clients could view traffic camera data in relation to their assets in or around other Olympic sites. Finally, through the native mobile app, travelers at the Games remained connected and informed no matter their location and could opt-in to real-time alerts on the go.

The 2024 Olympic Games provided a unique opportunity for Crisis24 to demonstrate on the world stage what’s possible when integrated technology and a client-first focus come together. Every client presents with a unique need, risk profile, and business goal. Crisis24 conducts every assessment through this lens, ensuring every client is empowered to make the best possible security decisions.