Ten years ago, this type of training would have not existed. Back in 2000, the fear of a terrorist attack in the heart of an American city – although it had already happened in 1993 at the World Trade Center, was not on people’s minds. But since 9/11, fear has gained ground. Today, and in light of the recent Times Square bomb plot in May which was thwarted by two alert street vendors, law enforcement agencies are more aware more than ever of the help ordinary people can bring.

This is the reason why the government has launched a program to train thousands of parking industry employees throughout the country, to watch for and report anything suspicious. Investigations into former attacks, like the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing that had left 168 dead, proved that these attacks are typically preceded by warning signs: illegally parked or abandoned cars, people lurking around garages, taking pictures or drawing sketches, and even asking unusual questions.

During a convention in Las Vegas in May, attended by hundreds of people whose jobs are related to parking operations for cities, universities, stadiums, and other major facilities, the new training program was presented for the first time. It is part of a larger effort by the government since the attacks of September 11, 2001 to enlist civilians working in potentially targeted areas, to serve as the ears and eyes of law enforcement including airline passengers, subway riders, bus drivers, truckers, doormen and building superintendents.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA), whose mission is to protect the Nation’s transportation systems to ensure freedom of movement for people and commerce, will administer this program, which is being funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Other similar initiatives have been enacted on a more local level. Numerous parking lots across the nation are already acutely aware of the threat and train their employees accordingly. In New York City, the manager of a Central Parking System garage located near Times Square explained that officers from the New York Police Department (NYPD) come every year to brief the employees on terrorists’ threats.

In Boulder, Colorado, city employees who write parking tickets and operate lots also receive counterterrorism training. So is the case of newly hired employees in many casinos in Las Vegas, including housekeepers and parking valets.

Next Upcoming Webinar – National Parking Association
Anti-Terror Training for Parking Professionals – FIRST OBSERVER
September 15, 2010 at 2:00 PM EDT, 1:00 PM CDT, 12:00 PM MDT, 11:00 AM PDT
First Observer™ is a national Terrorism Awareness program that uses the skills, experiences and “savvy” of Americans who spend a good part of their working day in America’s surface transportation arena.

For more information and to register, please click here

Violence is escalating in hospital emergency departments. While the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) has created guidelines to help prevent violence and aggression in the workplace, implementation of these recommendations is not mandatory. A recently released study by the Emergency Nurses Association (ENA) indicates some hospitals may not even have prevention programs and those that do often fail to adequately protect staff members.

The numbers are staggering. More than 50% of nurses surveyed indicated they had been “hit, pushed/shoved, scratched or kicked” by patients or visitors. Yelling, cursing, and sexually aggressive language was heaped on more than 70%. The malicious incidents were not isolated. In the past three years, nearly one-quarter of ED nurses responding to the survey were assaulted more than 20 times, and almost one in five nurses reported being verbally abused on over 200 occasions. “I was stunned at the frequency of incidents and the number of nurses (33%) who were considering leaving the profession,” comments Kim McAllister, RN, who has worked in San Francisco-area EDs for 18 years.

The ED is a high-stress environment. Patients are ill or injured. Family members are upset. Tough patients and visitors, prone to violence, introduce another kind of fear factor. Emotions run high and rage against staff members often follows. But the scenario doesn’t have to play out that way.

“Knowledge is power,” confirms Alan Butler, director of operations and consulting for HSS, one of the nation’s largest healthcare security firms. “I hear it almost every day: ‘It happened so fast; I didn’t see it coming.’” According to Butler, when staff are properly trained to assess a situation and prepare, violent incidents are largely preventable. Even if an event does occur, a well-defined security response plan will minimize risks and maximize safe outcomes. Butler describes three components of an effective ED security response plan—environmental assessment; policies, procedures, and training; and feedback.

Environmental Assessment

Take a critical look at your ED layout. Many facilities have failed to keep pace with reconfiguring the ED space for safe, efficient, higher-capacity patient throughput. Small, common-sense physical improvements can often make a big difference.

• Check-in/triage desk(s) need to be protected with multiple escape pathways.
• All ED entrances should be visible from the check-in desk(s).
• Waiting areas require adequate seating with chairs arranged so that individual space is not severely compromised.
• The unit should be clean and décor calming to help ease tension.
• Easy visual and auditory contact between ED staff and a clear view of what’s going on in the unit promote safety.

Policies/Procedures/Training

Delayed care frustrates patients and those accompanying them.

• Strict tracking of patient wait times is crucial.
• Personnel must be instructed how to candidly but calmly interact with agitated visitors.
• Effective response plans deal with behavior that escalates from normal to heightened to dangerous levels.
• Input from security and local police improves planning and training.

Feedback/Debriefing

Abuse reporting must be encouraged and valued.

• Staff-friendly protocols for reporting are essential.
• A constructive ED team discussion follows any violent event.
• The response plan should be promptly adjusted to improve safety for all.

“When EMTs, security, environmental services, social services, food service workers, clergy, and medical staff train as a team, everyone has a better understanding of their role and how individual actions contribute to a successful response,” says Butler. “Experience shows that awareness, planning, communication, and teamwork promote safety in today’s demanding ED setting.”

Click the link below to review the presentation by Employment Law Attorneys, Bradley & Gmelich.

Valiant Employment Law Seminar June 2010

www.bglawyers.com

Guard companies are required to meet certain regulatory federal and state requirements, training, and familiarization.  So how can a guard company differentiate itself?  The fact is most try and fail!  Sure you could start with a good employee base, add a unique culture, mix it up with good leadership, and sprinkle a dash of employee recognition to increase retention, stir frequently with good customer service and “WALA”, you have a better than average guard company.  But just how does this relate to better security?  Fact is – it does not!

A guard company typically gives the client what they want, position guards where they are asked, maybe even conduct a physical security assessment and suggest a few extra guards.  Why not, this will increase revenue but again did this really increase the security posture?  Did this assessment really cover all aspects required to increase security and safety?  Do the guards know what they are protecting, what the threat is, what the vulnerabilities are, or even why they are even there?  All too many times the guard company does not ask for access to the facility to complete a comprehensive detailed security assessment, using an “all hazards” and “threat based” system.  Besides, why bother, the client probably is not willing to pay for it, or will they?  The answer is yes, but both the guard company and the client have to understand what the derived value is for them!

Case 1:

GISS conducted Red Team²® comprehensive “threat based’ risk management process to determine the threat, vulnerabilities, criticality and overall risk of a high end residential complex.  Based on Proactive Threat Analysis (PTA²®) GISS developed policies, procedures, protocols, plans, and preparedness (training and exercise) for all security requirements related to the property including quality assurance. GISS interviewed and selected the guard services company, conducted Situational Awareness Assessment Training® SAAT (predictive profiling™ enhanced) for the Guards to identify and mitigate potential threats and incidents.  GISS coordinated and integrated the security program with the, City Police Special Operations Group, and Local Air Force Base Antiterrorism Office.

RESULTS:

GISS completed a comprehensive threat based assessment developing and instituted a Master Security Management Plan (developing a modified Force Protection and Antiterrorism Program) for the property that “certified” the property for the occupancy of military and federal clients.  It also allowed the property to market their newly established DoD compliant Force Protection Program to the military increasing occupancy rates to 98% well above other luxury apartment property averages for the area.  The GISS established plan is the only one of its kind in the area offering this level of security for their clientele and provides their property a significant differentiator that enables them to charge a premium.  Additionally, the GISS established program integration, which was used to negotiate lower insurance rates and assist in a successful refinancing action at a time when refinancing is difficult at best.

On the Guard side of the house they were able to taunt additional training, increased their exposure, and generated greater credibility with local, state, and federal entities that are now marketable a true differentiator!

Case 2:

GISS Conducted Red Team²® comprehensive “threat based’ risk management process to determine the threat, vulnerabilities, criticality and overall risk of a federal public facility.  Based on Proactive Threat Analysis (PTA²®) GISS developed policies, procedures, protocols, plans of a Federal public facility and identified threats, vulnerabilities to key assets, and preparedness (training and exercise) for all security requirements related to the property including quality assurance for a federal public facility. GISS provided these results to the Director of the facility and the guard services company. GISS conducted a compliance training, and quality control review of the security personnel, policies and procedures; reviewed and audited the Security Company’s overall security and quality control program.  All security officers participated in 4 hours of close combative techniques training and  4 hours of Situational Awareness Assessment Training®  SAAT (predictive profiling™ enhanced).

RESULTS:

GISS identified and confirmed the potential threats to the government public facility and provided concurrence for arming the officers and training them in close combative techniques more appropriate to the confirmed and GISS defined threats they face a differentiator for the guard company.  GISS developed, proposed, and implemented protocols to mitigate the vulnerabilities found based on potential site specific threat(s). Advanced training resulted in a proactive vs. reactive security posture at the facility.  The assessment findings and subsequent report substantiated the request for additional funding by the Director of the facility that significantly improved overall security, while minimizing the risk to assets and above all PEOPLE!  A win win for Guard Company, the public facility, and the public!

About GISS

Global Integrated Security Solutions (GISS) is a Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) founded in 2005 to provide world class security solutions.  At GISS, we develop functional and practical security solutions for our client’s challenges through the use of Proactive Threat Analysis Squared (PTA²)® and Red Team Squared (Red Team²)® Exercises, a Site Specific and Reality Based Assessment and Analysis System utilized to manage, validate, and modify the instituted program.  We design and implement integrated processes and training solutions that protect property, information, and most importantly PEOPLE!

For more information visit GISS911.com

NOTE:  Master Security Management System (MSMS)®, Proactive Threat Analysis Squared (PTA²), Red Team Squared (Red Team²) are a GISS registered trade marks.