"Where common sense and practice meets real life experiences"
Hometown Security
CONNECT:
Reach out and develop relationships in your community, including local law enforcement. Having these relationships established before an incident occurs can help speed up the response when something happens.
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Develop relationships with local law enforcement and businesses in your area. Invite local law enforcement to tour your business.
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Connect with community security and preparedness organizations such as the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s public-private partnership program “InfraGard.”
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Communicate with your customers and let them know about the security measures you are taking to ensure a positive experience and to maintain public safety.
PLAN:
Take the time now to plan on how you will handle a security event should one occur. Learn from other events to inform your plans.
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Be aware of current threats related to your geographic region or impacting your business sector.
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Develop plans, including security, emergency response, emergency communications, and business continuity plans, while considering the protection of your employees and customers, access control,closed-circuit television,signage, suspicious activity reporting, and parking security.
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Evaluate your security requirements and design a monitoring, surveillance, and inspection program that is consistent with your business operations.
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Develop evacuation and shelter-in-place plans, and ensure that multiple evacuation routes are clearly marked with appropriate signage and that rallying points are available.
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Develop and implement a security plan for computer and information systems hardware and software.
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Engage local first responders (police, fire, medical) in all of the above efforts to ensure your efforts are in synergy with theirs.
TRAIN, TRAIN, TRAIN:
Provide your employees with training resources and execute your plans often. The best laid plans must be exercised in order to be effective.
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Educate your family on emergency procedures and have a concrete mental plan.
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Train employees on identifying and reporting suspicious activities and what to do if they suspect an improvised explosive device (IED). Ensure they understand security basics, emergency response, business continuity plans, and increased awareness of potential threats.
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Exercise your emergency communications plan.