Concentric Security is committed to being a leader in the rapidly growing market for physical security technologies and related services. With this focus we routinely review numerous sources for industry information and make available certain information that we believe may be of importance to our valued customers.

You will find in this industry resource section a number of websites, portals and information resources that may be of value to you as you conduct research, look for 'best practices' and remain current on the physical security industry. Concentric Security is dedicated to providing its customers increasing levels of service and adding ongoing value. For this reason we review each site and provide not only a brief Description but also a "Concentric Security Comment" for each link.

The information contained here changes on a regular basis. We encourage your feedback on this service and invite you to return frequently.

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Records 1 - 10 of 212

TITLE :	Homeland Security--Special Issue
ORGANIZATION :	Gov.Exec.Com
DESCRIPTION :
Dated July 15, 2002, this issue of GovExec lists and provides a brief biography of the key personnel involved in homeland security.
CONCENTRIC SECURITY COMMENTS :
This is a basic resource for the security specialist. The personnel listed in this special issue, however, are in a frequent state of reassignmnent.
TITLE :	Getting it Right the First Time
ORGANIZATION :	Government Executive Magazine (GovExec.com)
DESCRIPTION :
This article by former federal procurement officer, Allan V. Burman, recognizes the hazards, in the light of the rush to homeland security, of making hasty, uncoordinated, and often expensive purchases. He offers several recommendations to procurement officers to avoid costly mistakes. (1) Know what you want before going ahead with purchases. (2) Explore all possible alternatives. (3) Convene all stakeholders who have an interest in the procurement. (4) Identify possible risks and develop ways to deal with them. (5) Think through the data and measures needed to ensure success. (6) Put in place the business, IT and contracting strategies for getting what's needed. And (7) Set up a project management structure to oversee procurement efforts.
CONCENTRIC SECURITY COMMENTS :
As a former federal procurement policy administrator, Burman offers the kind of wisdom appropriate to any procurement strategy at any level, including state, local and corporate levels. Hence, the value of his advice is far-ranging.
TITLE :	Water Terrorism: An Overview of Water & Wastewater Security Problems and Solutions
ORGANIZATION :	Anser Homeland Security--Journal of Homeland Security
DESCRIPTION :
Author Richard Lancaster-Brooks is an environmental engineer with over 10 years of experience in the North American water and wastewater industry. There are two types of water system sabotage--vandalism, which interrupts water supply and reduces its quanity, and terrorism, which contaminates water and reduces its quality. Complete defense against all terrorist attacks is not present now, and not likely to be present in the future. Nevertheless, Lancaster-Brooks offers feasible courses of action. The following are examples of the several dozen cited by the author. (1) Anyone with access to a facility should be checked against the FBI's "Most Wanted" list. (2) Supervisory control data acquisitioin systems should not be connected to the internet, to prevent hacking. (3) All facilities should have comprehensive perimeter controls. (4) Fire hydrants and other entry points should be tamperproof. (4) High-risk areas (e.g., chlorine storage) should have surveillance cameras. (5) Guard rounds should be varied as to time and route. (6) Redundancy should be built into all systems, including power and pumps. The article provides a hyperlink to each a generic checklist for water management and wastewater management.
CONCENTRIC SECURITY COMMENTS :
This is a refreshing article, full of common sense, and many of the recommendations are within reach of municipal water authorities.
TITLE :	Mass Transit Defends Itself Against Terrorism
ORGANIZATION :	Anser Homeland Security--Journal of Homeland Security
DESCRIPTION :
Author Steve Dunham, writing in March 2002, begins by reviewing that public transportation has been under assault by terrorists long before 9/11; in fact, more than 200 attacks took place worldwide from mid-1997 through the end of 2000. Terrorists used bombs, poison gas, grenades, arson, and guns to assault buses, trains, and terminals. They hijacked vehicles, took hostages, and sabotaged tracks, tunnels, and bridges. For those determined to kill in quantity and indiscriminately, public transportation offers an ideal target. Dunham gives examples of what numerous transit system authorities have been and are doing, from Ireland, London, the U.S.'s American Public Transportation Association, Atlanta, San Francisco's Bay Area Rapid Transit, Philadelphia's Port Authority Transit Corporation, Alexandria (VA) Transit, among others. Transit systems offer unique risks and lay the bases for unique assessments, event responses and planning for protection. Because of transit systems' long history of terrorist hits, this element of the infrastructure, concludes Dunham, has had longstanding efforts to combat terrorism.
CONCENTRIC SECURITY COMMENTS :
Much value is contained in the examples of transit system responses, emphasizing their variety geared to local conditions. Hence, protection of transit systems offers a good model promoting local creativity and response capabilities.
TITLE :	Homeland Defense: Avoiding the Bear Trap
ORGANIZATION :	Anser Homeland Security--Journal of Homeland Security
DESCRIPTION :
The author is Mark Lefcowitz, an expert in information technology management.The title comes from a strategy practiced by legal and military strategists--namely, forcing any group to spend huge amounts of capital and human resources on project choices that they would rather avoid. During the Cold War, poor Politburo domestic and military choices and expenditures were essentially an attempt to keep pace with the United States' military and technological advances. Ultimately, the Soviets spent themselves into bankruptcy. In this brief but insightful article, Lefcowitz begins by writing that "Since 11 September 2001, the United States has been in real danger of walking down the same [bear trap] path." Focusing on technology, where his skills lie, the author concludes: "There is no doubt that technology will appropriately play a central role in the defense of our nation; however, failure to improve our ability to organize and efficiently complete large, complex tasks, such as those demanded for homeland security, will have disastrous effects. All we are likely to have in the end is a very large paperweight at the bottom of a very deep bear trap."
CONCENTRIC SECURITY COMMENTS :
The critical message of this excellent article is that "process" must be the foundation on which technology choices rest. How do we coordinate the many actors and capabilities at any level of analysis--federal, state and local? This is a good preparation for any purchaser of equipment or materials.
TITLE :	Links
ORGANIZATION :	The Anser Institute for Homeland Security
DESCRIPTION :
This comprehensive listing of links to numerous agencies dedicated to homeland security comes from the Anser Institute--a prime source of news items, resources, announcements and commentary. As such, it is an excellent portal to other sites for more definitive information.
CONCENTRIC SECURITY COMMENTS :
This valuable portal, along with that of Two Tigers Radiological, needs to be a constant resource to search out from primary sources industry-specific information.
TITLE :	An Approach to Terrorism Preparedness: Parkland Health and Hospital System
ORGANIZATION :	Anser Homeland Security--Journal of Homeland Security
DESCRIPTION :
This article was reprinted by Anser with permission from Baylor University Medical Center Proceedings 2001; 14:231-235. The author, Kathy j. Rinnert, MD, MPH, is Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine at the University of Texas. The Parkland Health and Hospital System, in behalf of which Dr. Rinnert is a key participant, has been recognized as a national model for hospital preparedness efforts. There are three sections to this report. (1) Defining the Problem. This involved defining the catchment area of the patient population and to identifying the potential targets within the Parkland system. Next, existing resources were evaluated in terms of their ability to respond to threats. (2) Defining Critical Functions. Parkland officials identified five functions critical to event mitigation: safety and security, decontamination, acute and definitive medical care, communications, and resource procurement and management. (3) Developing Procedures for Weapons of Mass Effect and Department-Specific Reponses. The several departments were Emergency Services, Infection Control, Security and Public Safety, Public Relations and Media, and Pharmacy.
CONCENTRIC SECURITY COMMENTS :
The reader of this article needs also to read the comments of other professionals in response to it--particularly the one by a notable physician who feels the readiness of city planners, public health officials and other healthcare administrators have not developed a comprehensive, community-wide medical response plan. This will be necessary before an entire community can respond with the same readiness as Dr. Rinnert's Parkland Health and Hospital System.
TITLE :	Securing Rail Freight
ORGANIZATION :	Anser Homeland Security--Journal of Homeland Security
DESCRIPTION :
Steve Dunham, an editor with Anser Homeland Security, is professionally involved at several levels of the railroad industry. Here, he points out that this industry has experienced for many years numerous emergency situations and has in place well-thought-out strategies for addressing them. Terrorist since 9/11 adds another set of threats, and Dunham discusses them. Of concern for many strategists in the industry, however, is despite the industry's ability to respond quickly with new mitigation strategies, is that federal policies will make private strategies either mute or require significant changes.
CONCENTRIC SECURITY COMMENTS :
This is an insightful article focusing on the potential for conflict in policies and procedures of private industry with those of federal homeland security planners.
TITLE :	An Ambulance at the Bottom of the Cliff and a Fence on Top--A Pro-Active Role for America's Public
ORGANIZATION :	Anser Institute for Homeland Security
DESCRIPTION :
Author Jeff Fuller manages Anser's Asymmetric Threat Division and comments on the title of his commentary, that homeland security policy needs to embrace the notion of having a fleet of ambulances at the bottom of the cliff--response--in addition to having a fence on the top--prevention. And he envisions the American public as playing a vital role in prevention. The sequence leading up to such a role involves (1) specialists training citizens, (2) organization of citizens groups, (3) surveillance by the "man on the street," and (4) measured prevention.
CONCENTRIC SECURITY COMMENTS :
Numerous students of homeland security recognize that there is an absolute limit on federal funding for homeland security, and that more responsibility lies with private business and aware citizens. This short commentary is valuable for the role given to the latter.
TITLE :	National Homeland Security Knowldegebase
ORGANIZATION :	Two Tigers Radiological
DESCRIPTION :
This comprehensive 19 page portal is described as "The definitive homeland security information resource." In addition to weekly updates, it lists the main locator information for federal and state homeland security agencies, organizations, resources, research and think tank organizations; courses, intelligence analysis; and nuclear, radiological, explosive, chemical and biological emergencies and preparedness.
CONCENTRIC SECURITY COMMENTS :
As a compendium of information, Two Tigers is a valuable resource for the security specialist. It does not focus on physical security or force protection directly, and internet search efforts will require specific inquiries of each organization contacted.

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