When MacDill Air Force Base was shut down for three hours in mid-March, local reporters turned to DSS Vice President-Intelligence, Risk Advisory & Strategic Initiatives Greg Sanfilippo to help explain the situation.
Located in Tampa, Florida, MacDill houses the headquarters of the U.S. Central Command (USCENTCOM) and the U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM). The base is also home to the 6th Air Refueling Wing, which conducts refueling operations for U.S. Air Force operations worldwide.
A shelter-in-place order was briefly issued for base personnel, closing the base for several hours. Due to recent U.S. military operations against Iran, bases like MacDill have increased security and are constantly reviewing potential threats.
Greg was contacted by Tampa Bay 28 reporter Blake Phillips to discuss the temporary closure of MacDill. Though the base has reopened, Tampa Bay 28 noted that MacDill continued to operate under the Force Protection Control (FPCON) Charlie security protocol.
PFCON is a heightened security posture that is implemented when there are intelligence warnings of possible terrorist attacks targeting military personnel or facilities. The protocol tightens access to the base, including more rigorous ID checks for those seeking to enter.
“You expect those protection levels to go up and down based on the overall threat in the world and then localized threats,” Greg told Tampa Bay 28. “From a public standpoint, I encourage people to realize that it’s a proactive measure. So, you know, to continue the daily, uh, their daily lives, would just be more situationally aware,” he added.
Greg explained that base personnel, base employees, and residents living near the base needed to remain vigilant and immediately report any unusual activity they observed to authorities.
Prior to joining DSS, Greg served as a New York City Police Department (NYPD) supervisor who oversaw the groundbreaking NYPD Shield program, a public-private intelligence-sharing and counterterrorism program that has become a model for similar programs worldwide. At DSS, Greg leads a team that conducts in-depth evaluations of potential threats and vulnerabilities across all client locations, helping clients prepare for and mitigate risk.
DSS is a team of security and intelligence experts that leverages decades of experience, cutting-edge technology, and industry-leading best practices to deliver the highest levels of security to our clients. DSS team members routinely appear at industry conferences and events, as well as in the media, to provide commentary and incisive insights on security news and trends.
