* Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias is in charge of overseeing registered lobbyists, so they received this e-mail today…

Dear Registered Lobbyist,

At the Secretary of State’s office, we’re steadfast in ensuring the safety and security of all personnel, elected officials and visitors at the Capitol Building and Complex.

Last week, our State Capitol was placed on lock-down after a threatening call to the Sangamon County 911 Center triggered our alert system. While no threat was discovered, the event underscored the dedication and diligence of our emergency responders and the importance of emergency preparedness.

We’re proud of our Illinois Capitol Police command staff, investigators and security guards who responded to Tuesday’s threat quickly, efficiently and without hesitation. We also want to thank the Illinois State Police, Sangamon County Dispatch, Sangamon County Sheriff’s Department, Springfield City Police and Springfield Park Police for their assistance and support in sweeping and securing the Capitol grounds and all buildings on the Complex.

Below is a timeline of events:

• 1:43 p.m. — Sangamon County 911 Dispatch received the threatening message and immediately contacted the Secretary of State Police, who mobilized and deployed a SWAT team to begin securing and sweeping the Capitol Building and Complex.
• 1:57 p.m. — All buildings were officially placed on lock-down, and the shelter-in-place protocol was initiated via the Capitol Complex’s Emergency Notification System and REGROUP mass notification system.
• 2:16 p.m. — Secretary of State Police completed their grounds sweep and determined no threats existed outside.
• 2:35 p.m. — Secretary of State Police completed their floor-to-floor sweep of all Capitol Complex buildings and determined no threats existed.
• 3:00 p.m. — An all-clear message was issued via the Capitol Complex’s Emergency Notification System and REGROUP mass notification system.

We’re relieved no threat was found, but the event serves as a reminder of the dangerous world we live in and how crucial it is to be prepared for an emergency event.

That is why, the first month we took office, the administration got to work updating our Capitol Emergency Response Program, which provides an Emergency Action Guide for various emergency events and details the Lock-Down protocol. We also made sure emergency preparedness training is available to all Capitol Complex employees.

• Our office provides Capitol Emergency Awareness training on emergency protocols for anyone who works on the Capitol Complex with regular trainings held every March and September.
• Secretary of State Police also offers the training upon request by contacting SOSPoliceERP@ilsos.gov any time during the year.
• You can also sign up for our REGROUP mass notification, which is one of the quickest ways to communicate emergency events.

If you have not already, we encourage everyone to sign up for a training and to receive REGROUP alerts. Despite having these services and programs available during the last several years, only a small percentage have taken advantage of them.

At the Secretary of State’s office, we plan to require our employees to enroll in an Emergency Training class upon getting hired. We also recommend that lawmakers consider requiring that they, as well as all Capitol and Complex-based employees and frequent visitors who receive entry badges, such as lobbyists and the media, also undergo the training.

We’re relieved and grateful no threat was found and appreciative of our emergency responders’ bravery. We look forward to working with all Complex employees and elected officials to ensure we’re prepared.

Stay safe and vigilant,

Alexi Giannoulias
Illinois Secretary of State

A link to the REGROUP mass notification system was included in the email.

Anyway, your thoughts on the timeline and explanation?

…Adding… Legislative leaders and the governor’s office received a similar email on Monday. So, staff and members should be notified by them.