Vigilance remains watchword

There are so many raw emotions to sort through following a heinous attack such as the one Boston suffered during its iconic marathon on Monday, and even more raw information.

The detonation of two bombs has claimed three lives so far and injured more than 140. It’s anything but clear whether this was the one-off act of a deranged individual or a more coordinated effort that may have political or social agendas attached.

To answer the "why" question, law enforcement has invited all with photos, smart-phone videos and other data to send them in. The resulting volume of evidence, the flood of tips and leads to be sifted, suggest that the actual facts remain a long way off.

In the meantime, one message to take away from this horrific tragedy is already evident: Vigilance must remain the watchword, for security professionals and for everyone, especially at large-scale gatherings such as this.

And although Hawaii participants in the marathon escaped injury other than the emotional shock of witnessing the aftermath, island residents have to worry about how their own approach to large-scale events should change.

After all, Honolulu has its own marathon that, though smaller than Boston’s, has international appeal.

As they should, Honolulu Marathon organizers have said they are watching this event carefully and are poised to make changes in their own security protocols.

It would be wise to check the event’s medical emergency planning as well; many lives were saved in Boston for the simple reason that a well-staffed medical tent was located right nearby the explosion sites.

That’s not all, of course.

In recent years Hawaii has lobbied hard to become a focal point for business and governmental gatherings, as well as a tourist destination.

The Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation conference of 2011 brought heads of state here, including President Barack Obama. It went smoothly enough to bolster Hawaii’s hopes that more international business groups would choose Honolulu as a venue.

Further, the ongoing pivot of American defense policy toward the Asia-Pacific basin means that Hawaii surely becomes more of a terrorism target over time, not less.

And that raised profile builds on Hawaii’s increased role in terrorism surveillance and response post-9/11, starting with the creation of the Joint Terrorism Task Force-Pacific about a decade ago.

The new FBI office in Kapolei, ceremonially opened earlier this month, stands as another testimonial that the federal government sees opportunities for maintaining or expanding security and law-enforcement presence in Hawaii.

Nationally, there have been many reminders that, despite a level of complacency that has settled in since the Twin Towers came down, the U.S. remains in the crosshairs of international terrorists.

There were, to name a few, the "Christmas bomber," who was foiled because the bomb misfired; the Fort Hood shooting, in which the terrorist opted for guns instead of incendiary devices; and the Times Square car-bombing attempt, defeated because vendors spotted the homemade bomb.

It is perhaps this latter episode that highlights the most important fact: Security is a challenge in which every member of the public has a role.

Beefing up official levels of security — an increase in armed guards, more inspections of items being carried into the event — surely will be one component of planning that results from the Boston bombing. But it’s dangerous to put too much reliance on such strategies.

After all, the Boston Marathon was well equipped with security, but even so, the tumult of a large public event can obscure key developments from even professional, watchful eyes.

Simply put, it is impossible to guarantee safety at every square inch of a public gathering.

As Honolulu Marathon organizers said, it’s only possible to do one’s best.

So should we all.

And then we must get on with our normal lives, lest we give in to the disruptive aims of those who cause this kind of mayhem.