Safe At Home

The Department of Homeland Security has been busy since the tragedy of 9/11 – a day we’ll remember forever. The DHS has been tasked with coordinating security efforts among various government agencies – Naval Intelligence, CIA, FBI , Coast Guard and other agencies protecting our security each day.

After 9/11, President Bush issued two directives that changed the way states, counties, and cities respond and prepare for domestic incidents and national disasters. Those Presidential Directives, HSPD-5 and HSPD-12, enhance the abilities of federal and local security personnel to work together.

Through these Presidential Directives, the Department of Homeland Security has been assigned the difficult task of making individual communities safer for citizens through the deployment of community- wide surveillance systems, airport security systems, and changes in America’s immigration and border control measures, of which many are totally unaware. This is “behind-the-scenes” security, unrecognized by average citizens.

Is that camera on a street corner watching traffic, or is it using video analytics to determine if a bag was left behind? Or maybe a boat is traveling too close to a structural element of a bridge? The DHS, through cooperative efforts with state, county, and city officials are helping all communities become more secure, and more prepared for potential disaster.

National Preparedness
The DHS published a simple document on national preparedness. And though the report focuses on national preparedness, it’s clear that national preparedness takes place at the local level. And for this reason, the Department has worked extensively on developing discreet security in small towns and big cities – security based solidly on the latest in security technology such as:

• high-definition video surveillance systems.

• communication systems that send wireless video signals through mesh or municipal-wide, wireless networks.

• multi-agency video management with the ability to provide both local autonomy and centralized management in emergency situations.

• fault tolerant and highly-accessible servers and recording solutions

With these technologies and proper planning, we make our communities more secure and improve the quality of life for all citizens.

All-Hazards Preparedness
The role of the DHS has expanded to include what the agency calls “all-hazards preparedness.” This expansion is the direct result of natural disasters such as Hurricane Katrina and the wild fires that burned through the hillsides of California.

To address this broad range of potential disasters, the DHS works with local governments, and first responders at the state, county and municipal levels to provide training, grants, loans and a lot of cooperation.

The Department of Homeland Security knows that the eyes standing watch are found at the local level. Local police departments, fire and rescue, state National Guard – these are the men and women working with the Department of Homeland Security to create safe communities and improve our quality of life through data exchange and non-stop vigilance.

Training and Equipment
While the DHS provides funding, training and equipment to local communities, the experts tasked with making these technologies perform to specification are local security system integrators.

These men and women are the local experts who have the technical and security expertise to make our communities safer. A security integrator who understands the vision of the DHS and the needs of local officials is best positioned to ensure the proper technology is selected and successfully deployed.

It’s these local experts who design, implement and support the network of security technology on street corners, in public buildings and public spaces like malls, museums, and sports arenas, and make the DHS mandates reality. However, there’s more to this than the simple collection of security data through the use of specialized security technology.

Security Data Integration
Security data is collected at the local level – the street level, and as such, this information must be coordinated within the community, within the region and, of course, shared at the federal level.

We’ve all heard the expression “connecting the dots.” Under the direction of the Department of Homeland Security, and its support agencies, local communities rely on security integrators to, not only collect the data, but to do so in a way in which the data is shared, analyzed and used to improve the way we respond to domestic incidents and natural disasters.

To the security integrator, tasked with the design and implementation of video management software and surveillance hardware for data mining, this means that a higher level of expertise is often required.

Security integrators need to have top-down knowledge of equipment options, placement, functionality, quality, reliability and an understanding of the specs provided by local first responders. Security integrators must have the means to communicate to multiple stakeholders on the shared goal and vision of all agencies involved.

To accomplish this, a security integrator must have a blueprint, or a plan, that integrates local technology into the bigger picture. This is called “Security Architecture.”

Security Architecture is developed with local goals in mind, but also security integrators must consider the federal goals as well and allow for information to be quickly passed from local communities to county, state and federal officials through secure channels that enable a coordinated response to crisis situations.

Security integrators have the skills required to connect the dots to provide safer communities. These professionals serve and help us achieve our national security goals in our neighborhoods. This not only relates to our physical security but also to our economic security.

The impact of a national disaster, whether Hurricane Katrina, wildfires in California or a bridge collapse in Minneapolis, all affect our economic security as well.

The bottom line for security integrators?

• Understand the strategic and operational reasons to surveille or protect a particular asset.

• Apply your experience and expertise to assure all objectives are met to specification.

• Develop a plan, or a Security Architecture, and execute that plan.

• Cooperate with security agencies at all levels of government – from neighborhood associations to the federal watch dog agencies.

The DHS does a great job keeping us safe and improving the way we respond to domestic incidents and natural disasters. But the security integrator plays a major role in making sure the activities at local levels are aligned with the local, state and federal directives and goals.

Looking into beefing up your business security? How about municipal security? Whatever your security needs, Pro-Tec Designs brings the highest quality products and the highest level of security integration to your project. Drop us a line or give us a call. You’re just a click away from a more secure future.