NEW YORK -- Poor communication among police, private security and other personnel contributed to a mass panic that erupted at a New York City airport when loud cheers for Usain Bolt somehow led to a false report of gunshots, according to a review by a team of top security officials.Passengers at Kennedy Airport ran for the exits on Aug. 14 after cheering at a terminal bar during the Olympics was mistaken for something sinister. Panic spread to two other terminals when news of a gunman spread on social media, and police responded by drawing their weapons.A letter from the officials to Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson, made public on Monday, blamed both airport employees and law enforcement for fueling the hysteria by overreacting to several mistaken reports of gunshots, instead of seeking to calm travelers.Among the more glaring missteps: At the height of the chaos, the flight crew of a Korean Air jetliner deployed evacuation chutes, producing a `popping sound that may have been mistaken for gunfire. The officials also said that in the end, the airport had no efficient way to let travelers know the threat wasnt real.Since the Sept. 11 attacks, the specter of terrorism has embedded itself in the national psyche and created a persistent, abiding tension that cannot be ignored, the letter concluded. Coordination and training ... is absolutely fundamental to properly address this new paradigm.Cuomo ordered the review after the episode raised questions about the ability of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which runs the airport, to respond to an actual terror attack.The events at JFK were a wake-up call to rethink and reevaluate our security procedures to reflect the new, changing reality of 21st century threats and to better ensure the safety of all New Yorkers, the governor said in a statement Monday.A review of security video and recordings of 911 calls found that the chain-reaction scare began with a call about a disturbance at a cafe, where travelers were watching TVs showing Usain Bolt sprint to a gold medal victory in the Olympics. Several calls that followed reported shots fired in the same terminal, the letter said.After spotting Port Authority police officers pull their weapons and move toward the commotion, Transportation Security Administration agents began heading for the emergency exits, it said. Passengers followed their lead, with some even fleeing onto the tarmac.Seeing TSA agents running away and PAPD with guns drawn created obvious fear and panic, it said. As the result of the self-evacuation, secure areas were compromised, which left the terminals, tarmac and airplanes vulnerable to a possible terrorist attack or other illegal conduct, it added.Over the next 90 minutes, a total of 275 officers -- 88 from the Port Authority and 187 from the New York Police Department -- responded to the calls before authorities determined there was no evidence of a shooter, the review concluded.Among the recommendations by the security officials is setting up a central command center at JFK manned by the representatives from each security entity. The center should have access to closed-circuit television feeds and the ability to make announcements to a terminal or the entire airport from a central location, the letter said.Democratic U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York called on authorities to make the command center a priority, saying he remains deeply troubled that many loopholes remain at JFK, especially with camera security.Port Authority Executive Director Pat Foye said the agency is committed to providing coordinated training and drills recognizing the needs and strengths of all agencies, and to make internal and external communications seamless.---This story has been corrected to show the first name of the homeland security secretary is Jeh, not Jeb. Air VaporMax Sale . The 28-year-old from Calgary matched his career best after missing just one shot in his two rounds of shooting in the mens 10-kilometre sprint competition. Smith finished in 23 minutes 15. Blue Air VaporMax 2018 Online .R. Smith realized how easily basketball can be taken from him, and he wasnt going to take his place in the NBA for granted anymore. http://www.cheapairvapormaxfreeshipping.com/ . The Hall of Fame defenceman told Landsberg that he believes fighting still has a place in todays game, but thinks staged fighting needs be outlawed. Red Air VaporMax 2018 On Sale . A knee to the thigh might have stung him the most, but his sixth straight double-double made up for the brief burst of pain. Cheap Air VaporMax China . Westbrook has missed 27 games since having a procedure on Dec. 27 to deal with swelling in his injured right knee — the third operation on the knee in nine months. Four-time NCAA champion. No. 1 pick. Olympic gold medalist. Rookie of the Year.It has been a whirlwind six months for Breanna Stewart as she completed her career at the University of Connecticut as the winningest player in NCAA womens history and began her professional life as the Seattle Storms top draft choice, with a detour through Rio in the middle.Now, theres one more first for Stewart: her first time playing overseas. Not long after Stewarts rookie season ended with a loss to the Atlanta Dream in the opening round of the WNBA playoffs, she headed to Shanghai to prepare for a new season in the Womens Chinese Basketball Association (WCBA).For me, I wanted to be in a place that was competitive. It was one of the best leagues in the world but also had a shorter season, Stewart said during the WNBA season. Coming off a long season with UConn, going right into the WNBA, the Olympics, finishing the WNBA, I think it was the smartest decision for my body, and Im looking forward to it.Playing overseas during the winter is common for womens basketball stars, who can make several times their WNBA earnings in foreign leagues its going to be great when I go there. without any maximum salary. (Kate Fagan of espnW visited Brittney Griner and Diana Taurasi of the Phoenix Mercury in Russia last season and wrote about their experience.)Griner is one of a handful of notable WNBA players who have played in recent seasons in the WCBA, which allows teams to import one player to go alongside Chinese talent. That list also includes three-time MVP Lauren Jackson, 2012 MVP Tina Charles, 2014 MVP Maya Moore, 2015 Finals MVP Sylvia Fowles and two-time All-Star MVP Swin Cash. Though Stewart did not consult anyone who played in China previously, their experience helped make her feel confident heading to the WCBA.Theyve all been over there, and its all worked out really, really well when theyve been in China, Stewart said. Just knowing that Im not going to be the first one to go to a country and test the waters (makes me comfortable). Theyve already done that, and I knnow that its going to be great when I go there.dddddddddddd.Still, there will be an adjustment. Stewart has never been abroad for more than a month at a time while playing for USA Basketball, and this will be her first time visiting Asia.Im most curious about the style of living and that kind of thing, how people interact and just walking around the city, she said. You walk around a city like Seattle and you can kind of get a vibe and a feel for people, and walking around in Shanghai, what kind of vibe and feel is that?The WCBAs style of play may require some getting used to as well. The league has a well-earned reputation for physical play. Stewarts going in with an idea of what to expect.Ive definitely heard that its physical, she said. So hopefully the WNBA is just gearing me up for that, and the international competition with the Olympics. But you cant really get prepared for it until you actually are a part of it.While part of the appeal of playing in China for WNBA stars is the fact that they can get back home for a month or two before training camp -- the leagues finals end in early March -- that still doesnt leave much time for skill development. So part of the challenge for Stewart as a professional will be finding a way to improve during the WCBA season.I think that being a pro, having that be my job, if thats how you want to say it, you want to make sure that youre getting better, she said. The WNBA offseason, its not really an offseason because youre playing overseas, but any time that I have to improve and get better, I will.But it wont be all work for Stewart. Shes looking forward to what she describes as an adventure.It looks like a great city, she said. The team has reached out and shown their excitement and that kind of thing, and its going to be an adventure. I think that its going to be a good one, and I have good people surrounding me, and it should be fun. ' ' '
