TAMPA, Fla.-When the Department of Homeland Security, the Secret Service and the FBI come to your credit union for help with security, you must be doing something right.
And when that help means keeping the Super Bowl safe, you'd better get the game ball - and in fact, GTE FCU did, having received a signed game ball from NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell as a token of thanks for the credit union providing the headquarters for Super Bowl XLIII's security effort.
Nearly three-dozen agencies descended upon the $2.1-million institutions' headquarters several months ago to set up operations to ensure the most-watched sporting event in the world remained safe and secure. After leasing out the top floor of GTE's building and setting up a massive truck in the parking lot, the agencies coordinated in a dry-run during the Outback Bowl on Jan. 1 as a prelude to the big show a month later.
Staffers at the DHS, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms; the FBI, Secret Service and "every one of those alphabet soup agencies" including Fish and Wildlife as well as local police and sheriff's departments worked together in the effort, said GTE FCU CEO Bucky Sebastian. The credit union's facility was chosen when the city's emergency services groups told Super Bowl security representatives about the existing arrangement they have with GTE.
"We have some excess space in our headquarters and we entered into a strategic alliance with the city of Tampa and the Tampa PD and FD about a year ago where we provide emergency command post availability to them in exchange for them for keeping our complex up and running in the face of any kind of disaster," said Sebastian. "If there were to be a hurricane, for example, they would come to our facility with their command post and operate out of here. Because of that they would make sure we had fuel to run our generators and give us access to the building."
The credit union's relationship with the city paid off when the epic match-up between the Pittsburgh Steelers and Arizona Cardinals rolled into town. Not only did GTE FCU receive rent payments but it also had some re-modeling work done for free, it plans to leave all of the wiring and internal construction done by government authorities in place for future use. Those agencies also benefited from the arrangement as a new and far more convenient plan for Super Bowl security has been established.
"This was the first time that they had all the interested agencies under one roof. They credited that for making everything a million times easier," Sebastian noted. "Based on the way it went so well here, going forward they will always have a unified command center."
Though the experience is now but a memory, Sebastian said the months spent with Super Bowl security personnel was quite enjoyable.
Credit union and government staffers got along well, Sebastian said, so much so that GTE staffers picked up some official FBI, ATF and other departments' swag. Their presence also brought an extra air of excitement and anticipation for the big game.
"Our people got a real kick out of them being here," Sebastian added. "One of our employees said today that 'Hey, it's quiet today without those guys.'"
