David C. Walters

Contingency Planning Emergency Response and Safety

Abstract Although there is some recognition of the importance of contingency planning, far too few firms have anything beyond a contingency plan that sits on a shelf in the CEO’s office. Even in those companies with crisis management teams (CMTs), the members often do not meet to plan or even discuss how the team would function in an actual situation. The most progressive firms offer the team members, fire brigades, and employees an opportunity to preplan (contingency planning) through mock exercises that replicate industrial disasters, explosions, fires, or tornado alerts. The end result is a better-prepared team of employees ready to respond to any contingency. Unfortunately, many firms have not gone this far. Contingency planning may not have been a traditional security process, but in today’s global business environment the security organization is assuming a much greater role and responsibility for its implementation. Even prior to the events of September 11, 2001, many organizations were becoming more conscious of the need to have contingency plans. A complete contingency planning program has three major elements: 1. Emergency Response 2. Crisis Management 3. Business Continuity: Business Recovery and Business Resumption Emergency response activities involve responding to an incident, crisis or disaster and managing that incident at the scene. Should an incident escalate to the crisis or disaster stage, a CMT should take over managing the crisis to its conclusion. If the crisis or disaster does cause damage to a company building, facility or operation, the CMT should hand over to a business continuity team the responsibility of recovery and resumption. After a disaster, it is critical that the business recovers and resumes normal (pre-event) operations as soon as possible. Customers, shareholders and stakeholders expect nothing less. Executive management has the obligation to ensure contingency planning is properly considered and addressed within their company. The consequences of not planning for contingencies can be catastrophic with numerous liability issues.

11 – Contingency Planning, Fire Protection, Emergency Response and Safety

With the advent of OSHA, the attention focused on safety in the workplace created many new attitudes about the place of loss control within the organization. Many companies that had at best paid lip service to concepts of safety that are commonplace today came to see that safety, like security, is good business and that a well-managed loss-control program would produce gratifying savings in a potentially costly area of company operations. But it must be noted that a well-managed safety program goes well beyond simply complying with OSHA standards.

8 – Interior and Exterior Security Concerns

While security begins with the perimeter and basic exterior security, there are many instances when the lines between perimeter, exterior and interior security are blurred. It is important to know how to protect facilities when the lines are not clear. All types of breaches must be considered as potential security risks. Windows and doors must be protected. Door construction and locking devices are critical. While traditional keying systems are still predominant in small business operations, the use of modern technology including James Bond type biometric systems are becoming commonplace. To supplement access-delaying devices, surveillance technology has made possible the real-time monitoring of facilities. The key in today’s security operations using computer-based technology is interoperability.

14 – Violence and Drug Use in the Workplace

Today’s organizations are a vast ecosystem of cultural backgrounds, needs and desires as well as entitlements. Regardless of their size, organizations need to be concerned and proactively address potential violence and aberrant behavior in the workplace. Drug abuse can have negative ramifications as well and when combined with unstable behavior can be a volatile mixture. However, implementing proactive policies and measures such as background checks, violence intervention and education programs, as well as comprehensive substance abuse programs, can significantly curtail all forms of abuse while enhancing the work environment for all employees.

1 – Origins and Development of 21st Century Security

To understand the security industry of the 21st century, it is necessary to explore the basic development of the concepts that shaped the business. While the business has become a profession, the basic concepts that were developed many years ago remain the backbone of our modern security operations. What has changed are the tools that are now available. The business, in becoming a profession, has developed many organizations offering a variety of services to security managers and related professionals. World events, such as our wars and social/economic crime issues, have had a great influence on the direction and developments in the field. Today the security field is still growing far faster than its public law enforcement counterpart. Both public law enforcement and private security are working together to make our country and world a better place to live.

16 – Terrorism: A Global Perspective

Throughout history, terrorism has been used by nation states, groups and individuals as a tool to help achieve their objectives. Terrorism continues to be a major world concern and will remain so for the visible future. The last decade has seen tremendous change in international terrorism attacks, methods employed, media attention, and international cooperation to combat terrorism. Sixty percent of all terrorist incidents occurred in three countries: Iraq, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Only 0.2 percent occurred within the United States. In 2009, nearly 11,000 terrorist incidents occurred worldwide.

17 – Computer Technology and Information Security Issues

The world of computers and the information that is stored, processed, analyzed, and disseminated by them are constantly changing. While the progress achieved in this dynamic field has improved the general state of the world, there are always those who use new technology in ways for personal gain or criminal activity, thus causing damage to individuals and organizations. The CIOs, CISOs, and CSOs must work together to protect the companies and individuals that they serve. Information must maintain its confidentiality, integrity and availability in order to maintain its value. Crimes such as data and identity theft must be curtailed.

19 – Security: The Future

The security field is always evolving. This, given the turbulent world in which we all live, requires the security professional to remain fluid in adjusting protective strategies to protect employees, property, assets and revenue of the business enterprise. The future of the security industry is bright and it can be lucrative for the professional who is well rounded and has acquired the necessary skill sets, including formal education, certifications and a complement of international experience and exposure. Global incident management, which directly supports the resiliency of the business enterprise, has never been more important, as multinationals continue to grow globally. Protecting the homeland will also require a greater burden on private security industry resources over the next decade.

4 – Security Education, Training, Certification, and Regulation

The security field has struggled for many years to develop an identity as a profession. In the efforts, the federal government has studied the field and at times attempted to pass legislation to mandate standards. Despite the studies, their recommendations, and failed legislation, the field continues to be less than it could be. It is apparent that the field is and may always be self-regulated. States have provided minimal standards for training and certification, and in some cases do not regulate the field. Colleges and universities have provided opportunities for degrees in security and related areas, which has improved the level of education among security managers. But, the greatest strides in standards have come from various professional organizations, with ASIS International leading the field.

Internal Theft Controls/Personnel Issues

The largest threat to most businesses comes from within. Dishonest employees can cause more harm than external threats. It is therefore important that honest people are hired into the company. This is the job of the personnel or human relations department in cooperation with security. Security must ensure that the person hired is honest and then provide an environment that ensures continued honesty. A good security manager will know what he can and cannot do in backgrounding potential and current employees. Likewise, the security director will also know what to do when these safeguards fail.