Command center focus of new fair safety protocol - 13 WTHR Indianapolis

At the State Fairgrounds where there was disaster - there's now determination.

Eyewitness News asked the new Chief Operating Officer David Shaw if the new emergency plan is where he wants it to be.

"It is. If it wasn't, I'd fix it," he said.

And fixing it is why Shaw was hired. Security is his top job.

"Absolutely," Shaw said when asked if there is heightened sensitivity to weather awareness.

Shaw took us inside the new Operations Center. Stewart Williams with private contractor TELVENT and his team monitor weather.

"We can give them an idea here where that cell is moving, where it's going to be, and if it's going to be a danger at this spot," he said.

The way the center is set up, a weather warning can move from that side of the room to the other, where a quick decision can be made about any safety threats.

"There's a clear line of communication, a clear chain of command from who is accountable for making the decision to evacuate a building or facility or cancel a concert," Shaw said.

Investigators found a break in that chain last year that led to delays getting warnings out to the crowd when a stage collapsed, killing seven and injuring dozens others on August 13.

Shaw says he is accountable for the decisions that are made regarding safety at the fair.

Unlike before, the PA announcer sits in the command center, too, ready to broadcast a warning given by Shaw who would stand right next to him instead of across the fairgrounds. Also, no band or performer can decide the show goes on if fair says no.

You will also see new signs telling how you can text the command center if you see security issues. Your text appears up on a monitor in the command center where staff can see it and take action.