Counter Terror Measures
for building owners and management
From a Press Release
by Kenneth Carlisle, CPP Security Professional
Phone: (415) 392-1810
In the wake of the attack on the World Trade Center by unknown terrorist group(s), here are some things you should be doing today to increase the safety of your building:
1. Review your security procedures carefully with security staff and key building management personnel. Look for:
a. Adequate access control procedures.
b. Make certain access control and intrusion detection hardware is properly installed and meets all functional specifications.
c. Ensure that your security personnel are adequately trained to recognize potential dangers.
d. Test communications for facility wide announcements.
2. Make a physical inspection of the building with your security director and facility engineer. You should be looking for:
a. Breaches of secured access points that may have occurred since your last inspection.
b. Dark areas and areas that provide poor visibility by human eye and your CCTV system, anywhere in your building, but especially in the on-site parking areas.
c. Suspicious looking containers, vehicles, or persons.
d. Housekeeping shortfalls such as trash piles & debris.
3. Assess your vulnerability. Do you have tenants with strong political, cultural, or financial affiliations? What extraordinary measures have you, or they, taken to ensure their safety?
4. Have a written policy regarding reporting suspicious people, things, occurrences to building security or building management. Disseminate this information now to all staff and departments, security personnel, building residents, tenants, and vendors who are frequently on the property.
5. Make certain security personnel include regular rounds to the on-site parking areas of the building. They should have an increased awareness for suspicious looking vehicles and cars that have been parked without being moved for longer than 24 hours.
6. If you have not already done so, install shatter-resistant glazing film on all vulnerable glass areas. They are many excellent blast-proof products on the market including 3M safety film, and other security film products.
7. Remove any graffiti immediately, and institute a policy to have new graffiti removed as soon as it occurs.
8. Reassure your tenants with a written notice that you are undertaking an in-depth review of the security for the building. You will want to do this both as a matter of public relations and enhanced security awareness. Remember that security is everyone’s business. The more people you have looking out for potential criminal activity, the more secure you all will be.
9. Follow up with a written notice to the tenants advising them of any changes in security policy or procedures which result from your security review and assessment this day.
10. Review your fire and life safety procedures today. After you make any necessary changes and modifications, distribute this information to all tenants, residents, staff and departments.
As a public service, we are providing you some Desk Top Procedures for Bomb Threats. We encourage you to reproduce this and distribute it to all building residents, tenants, staff and other key building personnel.
Remember, BE ALERT! Alertness is the first line of your defense.
As always, we at SecurityNet are staffed and ready to assist you with any security needs you have. Call us 24 hours a day at (415)392-1810.
Kenneth Carlisle is the principal consultant with SecurityNet Security Consultants. He has extensive experience in developing procedures and training for reducing workplace violence and can be contacted at carlisle1@securitynet.com or (415)392-1810 for further information on this subject.
SecurityNet, established in 1987, specializes in security assessments and the design, engineering and development of professional security programs. The firm has designed systems for major high-rise office buildings, apartment & condo communities, and mixed-use developments. Also corporate headquarters, corporate campus complexes, hospitals, transportation industries, manufacturing companies, and large recreational facilities.