By Paul Ducker

Integrating security projects within a large public transport department in a state the size of Texas with just one law enforcement agency is challenging at the best of times. There are so many hurdles to negotiate whilst managing competing priorities. When you involve public assets, using public money, it’s multiplied tenfold. It all comes down to negotiation and experience in dealing with challenges such as:

• The suspicion that comes with people tasking you to secure ‘their’ asset
• The always present ‘time and budget’ restraints
• Integrating the project to complement the day-to-day operations of the asset
• Obtaining the best outcome for the organization, the staff, and the asset

Taking the easy way, just to get the project completed, is never the right way. We operate in a business where the key factor is integrity. My name is on every project, and I stand behind each one. It’s not easy. It’s frustrating and time consuming. But that’s why we are in this business.

At the ASIS International Global Security Exchange (GSX), I will present a case study detailing the sometimes ‘Australian’ methods in ensuring a project is completed on time, on target, and on budget, including:

• Red teaming and getting in the mind of the offender (breaking down the Westminster Bridge Attack)
• Providing benefits to asset managers, staff, and the organization that they never thought possible
• Reducing cameras to increase security
• Increasing protection to an asset by removing 30 bollards from a proposed construction project (installing only two) and saving $800,000

I hope you will come to session #5116, An Australian Perspective on a Security Systems Installation Project, at 11:00 am on Tuesday, 25 September. Learn a little more about our security environment, how we assess each project, and learning through mistakes and successes. You will have a few laughs and come away with some different ways looking at what you see every day.

By Jason Rosselot, CPP, CISSP

Your building is talking.

Can you quiet it down before hackers hear?

“Door held open.” “Object left behind.” “Access granted.” Building systems—from security and life safety systems to building automation and controls—generate and process data 24/7/365. Today’s buildings and the people, assets, and information protected by them are comprised of systems of systems and networks of networks. Unfortunately, most security professionals don’t speak the language of IT and cyber, and as a result, those buildings and everything in them is left vulnerable.

Is the answer to have IT take over building systems? Should the security department focus only on mechanical keyed locks and physical barriers? Do we even have keyed locks anymore? The answers are resoundingly “no”, “no”, and “yes”. While building systems are becoming increasingly connected and often leverage much of the IT infrastructure that the rest of the organization relies on, there is no reason the security department shouldn’t evolve to effectively manage their own systems and devices. Everyone in the security department doesn’t need to run out and get a Cisco certification, but clearly there is a need for at least one person on the team to take on the mantel of “security technologist.”

When Booz Allen Hamilton, who staffs a tremendous amount of the U.S. offensive cyber capability, and Johnson Controls, who helped launch the building controls industry, began discussing the cybersecurity posture of critical building systems, it was apparent to both companies that from the manufacturer to the integrator, and finally sitting with the customer, the need to raise awareness and educate was at a critical juncture. The tremendous benefits of connectivity and automation in building systems are increasingly becoming at risk as the key stakeholders in the ecosystem of building are unaware of how their action or inaction to design, develop, and deploy systems with cybersecurity built in are increasing their risk. In the case of security and life safety systems, the very systems purchased to protect assets may actually be putting those assets at risk.

Join me at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, September 25th at Global Security Exchange (GSX) for Session #5326, Cybersmart Buildings: Investments in Connectivity and Automation.

By Richard Smith

The horrific events in Parkland, Florida, Sutherland Springs, Texas, and, unfortunately, other locations around the U.S., have propelled a nationwide conversation on preventing and responding to an active shooter situation. This dialogue has led to an increase in training focused on empowering people to take action—to heed the DHS recommendation to ‘run, hide, fight’. By taking part in this discussion and participating in these trainings, we’re actively working to reduce the number of victims.

These critical conversations are one (very important) piece of the puzzle. We must also have a frank discussion about what happens if prevention fails. Essential to surviving the first ten minutes of a critical incident—whether it be an active shooter scenario or a significant weather event—is knowing how to control severe blood loss.

Recent mass casualty events, like last year’s hotel shooting in Las Vegas or the Boston Marathon bombings, saw lives saved as bystanders—“immediate responders” if you will—began administering aid before trained first responders arrived. Many of these immediate responders were medical, military, or off-duty law enforcement personnel who had one thing in common: hemorrhage control training.

The role of the immediate responder is a crucial one in helping people survive future active shooter events. Consider that the average EMS response time in an urban area is seven minutes—longer in rural areas—and even after EMS has arrived on scene, there may still be a delay as law enforcement secures the area. Yet a person can bleed to death in three to five minutes, depending on the severity of injury.

Can every one of those victims afford those seven minutes, or more? We must train and equip employees, security, teachers, and, sadly, even our children, to survive should the worst happen.

Join me on Wednesday, 26 September at the 2018 Global Security Exchange GSX 2018 for Session #6221, Surviving the First 10 Minutes: Increasing The Ability to Survive in Critical Trauma Incidents. I will present on the role of the immediate responder and demonstrate equipment recommended for their use.

By Brittany Galli

Why do we consistently wonder why we aren’t farther ahead in our profession or respected like we want to be? The 5 essential traits of great leaders reflect personal attributes, not roles inherent to the position. We sometimes forget how these foundational steps are the things that can either earn us the next promotion or lose us the job.

Grow Your EQ and Connections: Make authentic, valuable, strategic connections and foster them. Manners in the workplace should not be forgotten. Have you said thank you to every person on your team this week for something they’ve done, something they’ve delivered or for the way they acted in a situation?

Use Your Resources: On LinkedIn, always send a note with any connection you make. Something as simple as “Great connecting with you- let me know if I can ever help you” or “Great hearing your thoughts today on ESRM – have a great week ahead.” can help you in the future more than you know.

Be the Mentor You Would Want: Mentors get the most workplace kudos. People in the workplace will talk about you in one light or another – it’s your responsibility to make them say things like “He’s a great mentor,” or “She really helped me when I couldn’t figure out how to deal with this person.”

Self-Promotion: How do you promote yourself? Do you hang 5k T-shirts in your office or desk? Do people even know you outside of work? Do they know that you give away 100 lbs. of canned goods to families during the month? Or help with a foster agency in your spare time? Promote yourself in all facets of life and what keeps you going – people want to connect with people and they need topics to do so.

Millennials are Starving for Wisdom – Use Them! It’s now a widely found statistic that members of older generations who are receiving promotions are the ones that leverage younger generations to learn how to get ahead. Learn from millennials in your life – harness them for a 1 hour per week meeting to learn something you don’t know – Excel, Instagram or how to share photos on your phone via airdrop. Then – reward them for it. Offer your own knowledge of a leadership craft or strategy they haven’t experienced yet.

Join us Tuesday, September 25th at 11 am to learn more about these topics and Multigenerational Strategic Leadership Guidance: How to be Seen, with a strategic roadmap presented by Maria Dominguez, CPP – SVP, Bank of America and Brittany Galli – Chief Success Officer, Mobotour.