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Secret Service Announces Security Information for the 2013 Presidential Inaugural

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(Washington, D.C.) – The United States Secret Service in cooperation with its local, state and federal security, public safety and military partners, has developed an overall security plan for the 57th Presidential Inauguration. Inaugural activities will take place beginning on Sunday, January 20 through Monday, January 21, 2013, with the Inaugural ceremonies scheduled for Monday, January 21.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has designated the Inaugural as a National Special
Security Event (NSSE). When an event is designated an NSSE, the U.S. Secret Service assumes
its role as the lead federal agency for the design and implementation of the operational security
plan. The Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), the U.S. Capitol Police
and the U.S. Park Police, as well as a number of other local, state and federal agencies, will play
a critical operational role in securing the Inauguration and resources will be deployed to maintain
the appropriate level of security.

Viewing the Inaugural ceremonies from the U.S. Capitol grounds requires a ticket issued by the
Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies. Information on tickets is available at
http://www.inaugural.senate.gov/2013/getting-tickets. Recommended Metro exits for
individuals with tickets include Capitol South, Eastern Market, Union Station, NoMa-Gallaudet
U (New York Ave.), Judiciary Square, Gallery Place-Chinatown, Federal Center SW or L’Enfant
Plaza. Additional information on the Inaugural ceremonies is available at
http://www.inaugural.senate.gov.

Viewing the Inaugural ceremonies from the National Mall does not require tickets. The nonticketed
area of the National Mall begins at 4th Street NW, and extends towards the Washington
Monument. Entry points to the non-ticketed portion of the National Mall are located at:
- Constitution Avenue NW at 7th Street NW, 9th Street NW and 12th Street NW
- Independence Avenue SW at 7th Street SW and 12th Street SW
Individuals using Metro to access the Inaugural events, including the non-ticketed area of the
National Mall, are advised to:

- Use Metro’s interactive “What’s My Best Route” tool at
http://www.wmata.com/inauguration to find the best station to use near the National
Mall.
- Exit at a station on the same line as where they started their trip to avoid transferring.
- Avoid high-traffic stations near the Capitol including Capitol South, Union Station,
Judiciary Square or Federal Center SW stations

An important reminder for all Metro riders is that the Smithsonian, Archives and Mt Vernon
Square Metro stations will be closed on Inauguration Day. For additional information from
Metro, including walking maps and travel tips, please visit http://www.wmata.com/inauguration.

The following security measures will be in place for the 57th Presidential Inauguration:

- Downtown Area Road Closures: A map detailing specific road closures is attached.
Vehicle restricted zones will be in effect beginning at 7 a.m. on Sunday, January 20,
through 7 a.m. on Tuesday, January 22. Restrictions will be implemented on a rolling
schedule, beginning at Pennsylvania Avenue NW from 2nd Street NW to 15th Street
NW. All closures will be in place by the morning of Monday, January 21. All vehicular
road closures in Washington, D.C., will be instituted by MPD. Inquiries pertaining to
road closures should be directed to the MPD Office of Public Information at (202) 727-
4383. Details regarding road closures will be available online at
http://www.inauguration.dc.gov and http://www.secretservice.gov.

- Security Screenings: All attendees, including general public and ticketed guests, will be
subject to a thorough security screening before entering the Inaugural parade route, the
White House reviewing stand and the Inaugural balls. Please allow for additional time for
this security screening, as it is expected that lines may be long.

- General Prohibited Items: As a security precaution, the following items will be
prohibited from the Inaugural parade route, the White House reviewing stand and the
Inaugural balls:
- Aerosols
- Ammunition
- Animals other than helper/guide
dogs
- Backpacks
- Bags and signs exceeding size
restrictions (8"x6"x4")
- Bicycles
- Balloons
- Coolers
- Explosives
- Firearms
- Glass or thermal containers
- Laser pointers
- Mace / Pepper spray
- Packages
- Structures
- Supports for signs and placards
- Weapons of any kind
- Any other items determined to
be potential safety hazards


Signs and placards must be made only of cardboard, poster board or cloth and have
dimensions no greater than three feet in width, 20 feet in length and one-quarter inch in
thickness. Surrendered items will not be returned, nor available for pick-up.

- Parade Route Entry Points: The following public entry points will open at 6:30 a.m. on
Monday, January 21, 2013, and will remain open until the parade route can no longer
accommodate additional people.
- 2nd Street NW and C Street NW
- John Marshall Park at C Street NW
- Indiana Avenue NW between 6th Street NW and 7th Street NW
- 7th Street NW and D Street NW
- 10th Street NW and E Street NW
- 12th Street NW and E Street NW
- 13th Street NW and E Street NW
- 14th Street NW and E Street NW
- 12th Street NW and Constitution Avenue NW
- 10th Street NW and Constitution Avenue NW
- 7th Street NW and Constitution Avenue NW
- Constitution Avenue NW between 6th Street NW and 7th Street NW

All parade route security screening entry points will be able to accommodate individuals
with disabilities.

- Prohibited Items at the U.S. Capitol: The following items will be prohibited from the
ticketed viewing areas at the U.S. Capitol grounds:
- Aerosol sprays
- Air horns
- Alcoholic beverages
- Animals (other than service
animals)
- Backpacks
- Coolers
- Duffel bags
- Explosives of any kind (including
fireworks)
- Firearms and ammunition (either
real or simulated)
- Glass containers
- Knives, blades or sharp objects (of
any length)
- Large bags
- Laser pointers
- Mace and/or pepper spray
- Packages
- Pocket or hand tools, such as
“Leatherman” tools
- Portable chairs (other than those for
disabled persons)
- Posters
- Signs
- Sticks or poles
- Strollers
- Suitcases
- Thermoses
- Umbrellas
- Other items that may pose a threat
to the security of the event as
determined by and at the discretion
of the security screener

- Cold Weather Preparedness: The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
reminds attendees to plan ahead to prevent cold-weather related health problems. Infants
and the elderly are particularly at risk, but anyone can be affected. Attendees of all ages
will likely need hats, water-resistant coats, scarves or knit masks to cover the face and
mouth, and gloves or mittens. Mittens are warmer than gloves. Wool, silk or
polypropylene inner layers of clothing will hold in more body heat than cotton.
Perspiration can increase heat loss, and wet clothing can chill the body rapidly. To
prevent cold-related health problems, dress in layers of loose-fitting clothes, including
extra socks, which can be removed as they become damp. For more information on cold
weather and avoiding hypothermia and frostbite, visit
http://emergency.cdc.gov/disasters/winter/.

- Air Security: A combined air security plan will be implemented to provide airspace
security for the Washington metropolitan area. Enhanced airspace restrictions on general
aviation have been released and can be accessed online at the Federal Aviation
Administration web page at www.faa.gov. Pilot inquiries should be directed to 866-598-
9522.

- Water Security: There will be an enhanced security presence on the waterways around
Washington, D.C. Inquires should be directed to the U.S. Coast Guard via marine band
radio VHF channel 16 or the Metropolitan Police Department Harbor Patrol at 202-727-
4582.

Information will be available prior to and during Inauguration day on social media sites such as
Twitter. To see Inauguration related material, please use #inaug2013. Some of the Twitter sites
being used to communicate information from the Inaugural public safety and security partners
include:

- District Department of Transportation - @ddotdc
- Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies - @jccic2013
- Joint Task Force-National Capital Region - @JTFNCR
- National Terrorism Advisory System - @NTASAlerts
- Office of the D.C. Mayor - @MayorVinceGray
- Secret Service - @SecretService
- U.S. Department of Homeland Security - @DHSgov
- WMATA - @metroinaug

Emergency alerts and public notifications regarding the Inauguration will be available via text
messaging. To receive these messages, text the word "INAUGURATION" to 888777. Text
messaging fees may apply according to your cellular plan.

Additional information for charter operators, as well as residents of the District, Virginia and
Maryland, is available online through the following websites:

- DDOT 

- Maryland Department of Transportation – http://www.marylandtransportation.com
- National Capital Region Updates 
- Virginia State Police – http://www.vsp.virginia.gov
- Washington Area Metropolitan Transit Authority – http://www.wmata.com

In addition, Inaugural information is available on the following sites to help those planning to
attend the inaugural events:

- Presidential Inaugural Committee
- Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies 
- D.C. Presidential Inaugural Committee 
- United States Secret Service 

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